Overzealous Prosecutors

Overzealous Roids

2007-09-07T18:45:00.000-04:00

Overzealous Prosecutors is breaking its long-held silence about the latest great villain behind the destruction of baseball. While unions haven't gone away, they have been vanquished as powerful foes and given way to the people's enjoyment of the game once more. However, that hasn't stopped this nefarious character from continuing to wile away -- ever plotting the demise of baseball and its adherents. I speak, of course, of ROIDS LARUSSA.

Informally, OP has talked of this scourge on the game for some time. Amongst others, 'Roids' oversaw the continuous and barbaric torture of Jose Canseco's body, only to follow it with once-innocent but soon-tarnished Mark McGwire's while Manager of the Oakland Athletics. After some losing seasons in Oakland, Roids vowed to never again endure the academic censure of his colleagues -- and so soon led many young, upcoming, idealistic stars into the ways of performance-enhancing drugs while at the same time offering salvation to old, stagnating stars of yesteryear.

Mark McGwire, not so coincidentally, enters the picture once more. But also think back to Scott Rolen, whose body drugs left ravaged, and Jim Edmonds, who hit a bit too well for too long if you ask me. Like Barry Bonds, Albert Pujols was eerily talented, but was he too inculcated in the ways of Roids LaRussa? Now there's Rick Ankiel working in the system. ( And Troy Glaus might be his best friend. )

COINCIDENCE?? I ask you, the jury, could this all POSSIBLY be a coincidence? Is there any other manager who has even a remotely similar record? Is there any possible way that Roids LaRussa could not have known of the disgusting legacy he was fostering in a once-honorable league?

Is there anything we can do to STOP it? Stephen A. Smith: call Roids LaRussa. Bring this man to justice.

Overzealous Unity of Command

2007-08-29T09:53:00.000-04:00

Recently, my contact information was requested for the Military Law Students Association, of which I am a happy member. Some people might wonder: what business does he have being a member?

I am a Fleet Admiral in Starfleet. Although Starfleet's primary mission is in fact one of exploration, while many have felt it to be "peace," Starfleet is also the first, last, and every line of defense in space for the United Federation of Planets and Earth. We can all recall the many times Captain James T. Kirk saved our planet, or even the rare occasion when Captain Jean-Luc Picard did the same.

More importantly, there is the concept of unity of command. This martial concept can be employed for devastating effectiveness when diverse branches of armed forces are brought together for a battle or strategic theater.

Due to the Navy's overprotectiveness, and the drunk tirades of one Admiral King, our military did its best to hamper MacArthur's war effort in the Pacific. It is true that the Japanese feared MacArthur above all, but apparently we were more concerned with placating Ernest King and Chester Nimitz by giving the Navy a huge Pacific theater of command and relegating MacArthur to the "Southwest Pacific area." By separating the theaters in this cumbersome arrangement, both egos are somewhat satisfied as they receive commands.

By far the better solution would have been to have one and only one person in broad supreme command of the Pacific war effort. MacArthur argued strenuously for this, saying that he would "hold the horse if asked to," and although there can be little doubt that he would (see: ridiculous, idiotic orders from Truman in Korean War), he most certainly did not expect to be subordinate to Nimitz when all was said and done.

In any case, such unity of command would have avoided many needless deaths (specifically, Nimitz's extraordinary island blunders), and pointed a swift dagger at Tokyo far sooner. In summary, unity of command facilitates communication, orders, tactics, and strategy -- it is absolutely essential in times of crisis.

In times of crisis, Starfleet IS the unity of command, supplanting any one of the terrestrial armed forces for the top. My position would essentially be Supreme Commander of all forces, so it is a great honor for anyone from the US Army, Navy, Air Force, or Marine Corps (or Coast Guard) to work with me in the MLSA. I try not to go because it's not particularly good taste to mingle with the men, but when in 21st century Earth, do as the Earthlings do.

Monumental

2007-08-28T18:04:00.000-04:00

I would like to point the blog's attention to the Global Peace Film Festival, taking in place in Orlando and on the Rollins College Campus in late September. At this festival, a film named "Monumental" will premiere on Friday, Sept. 28 at the Orlando Science Center. The film documents the life of David Brower: outdoorsman, environmentalist, and American hero. Brower founded the Sierra Club among various other natoinwide organizations, and was a decorated veteran of the Second World War. Much of the movie includes footage shot by Brower himself, including what will prove to be gripping action sequences taking place on rafting trips and training atop the mountains of Colorado. Brower's actions inspired Americans to appreciate the natural world around them and his influence will last through his organizations and this film.

Some useful links:
http://www.peacefilmfest.org/osc.html
www.earthisland.org/brower/index.cfm
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_R._Brower

Overzealous Sean Penn Redux

2007-08-26T23:32:00.000-04:00

Every now and then I like to reminisce about the good times we Overzealous Prosecutors have had indicting some of the notable criminals of our time. Remember, for example, the time Sean Penn made the Katrina aftermath worse by his presence, as his makeshift rescue cutter started sinking into the abyss. THIS was journalism:

OVERZEALOUS SEAN PENN

Overzealous Nick Anderson

2007-08-26T11:56:00.000-04:00

There's a competition on YouTube for most overzealous Orlando Magic fan, and it brings to mind my youthful vigor in watching every Magic game on Sunshine Network with my good friends Chip Caray and Goose Givens. Those were the days. But I thought I would share with you some memories of the last of the original Magic team that included such greats as Morlon Wiley, Sam Vincent, and Mark Acres (the butt of far too many jokes):

And of course, the most memorable Nick Anderson moment of all:

According to Wikipedia, "At the end of the first game of the series, Orlando's Nick Anderson commented that "He didn't look like the old Michael Jordan,"[43] after which Jordan returned to wearing his old number (23)." Also according to Wikipedia, "Anderson is now retired from basketball, but recently accepted a job with the Magic in the community relations department."

I used to think Nick Anderson was the only dependable player on the Magic. His 6'6" standup poster in my room, my brother's room, and all my neighbors' rooms seemed to prove he also a dependable friend. Thank you Nick Anderson.

Overzealous HMOs

2007-08-22T02:30:00.000-04:00

While many believe that HMOs are out to lunch on helping the folks afford healthcare, there's one that has missed the boat altogether: Independent Health is advertising that you deserve THE REDSHIRT TREATMENT.

Well *I* don't want the redshirt treatment! You know what happens to redshirts, don't you? If you're on a Starfleet vessel circa 2263-2268, and they beam down to a planet, moon, starbase, or starship, that redshirt has a very high likelihood of dying. That's because redshirts are security officers, whose job is to protect the other members of the landing party or to secure the area.

Sure enough, people are fleeing from Independent Health's plan as fast as they can, rejecting this insensitive affront to the millions of people in America who are Star Trek fans trying to find a good deal on healthcare.

For more on redshirts, click here. For a Star Wars fan trying to create a scandal by impersonating a Star Trek fan, click here.

Overzealous Casting

2007-08-21T02:32:00.000-04:00

Do you have ANY idea how happy Karen Allen is to have a job? To be talking to people with careers? I know this seems mean, but it's not mean, I am bringing this up for anthropological purposes: this human being could not POSSIBLY be happier.

This is what Disco would be like if Michael Jackson asked him back to the Magical Kingdom for a nightcap. This is what TheGreatOne would be like if he never had to hear the word 'budget' again. This is what Red Hat would be like if the Devil Rays won a game against someone other than the Yankees. This is what Desert Fox would look like if he was offered a crew scholarship at Cairo University. This is what Corey Haim would look like if he got a contract for a one-time high school production of Lost Boys 3. This is what I would look like if I got to clean the bottom of people's shoes or help Mr. Nimoy with his irritable bowel syndrome on the set of the next Star Trek movie.

It's a wonderful thing to see, folks. This... THIS is happiness. Kudos to Karen Allen on a wonderful hair dye job.

Overzealous You Tube

2007-08-20T11:13:00.000-04:00

Today I decided to check out the most viewed videos of all time on YouTube. I expected the top 10 to include "Dick In a Box," "The Real Life Simpsons Intro," and "You have Black friends Now." Little did I suspect that the second most viewed YouTube video of all time would be Avril Lavigne's Girlfriend. In fact, it has over 50 million views!!! I have no words to explain this. My only possible thought is that the Queen of England must've ordered Canada to put the video on constant reload.

We here at OP, once again, have no words to describe the weird habits of the Canadian people. Shocking...

OP Poll, Year 3, Week 1

2007-08-19T21:16:00.002-04:00

It's that time of year again. We are publishing the first OP POLL of the year, the nation's only poll that doesn't respond to the bias of the anti-Gator conspiracy in the AP Poll and the jealous whims of the Coaches in the other poll. We factor in everything, including fun, to our poll.

Week 1

Top 25
1. South Carolina
2. Florida
3. Oklahoma
4. LSU
5. USC-West
6. Auburn
7. Wisconsin
8. Michigan
9. Texas
10. Louisville
11. West Virginia
12. Georgia
13. Boise State
14. Tennessee
15. Virginia Tech
16. Nebraska
17. Kentucky
18. FSU
19. Miami
20. Notre Dame
21. Arkansas
22. Cal
23. UCLA
24. Ohio State
25. Rutgers

Bottom 5
176. FAU
177. FIU
178. Pittsburgh
179. UCF
180. Illinois

South Carolina continues its unprecedented 105 weeks at the top of the poll. The bottom five is, interestingly, unchanged from two years ago. Two years ago, it was incredibly prescient. Others receiving votes were:

26. Houston
27. Boston College
28. Hawaii
29. Penn State
30. Alabama
31. Texas Tech
32. Duke

Overzealous Tom Green

2007-08-19T16:40:00.000-04:00

For those of you who don't know (up until 2 minutes ago including myself), Tom Green is back. Or, well, in a way, he's been back for about a year, doing his Tom Green Show shtick five nights a week. The man wanted his own talk show, so he got it. Recently, I heard a rumor that he was a candidate to be on network or cable television again, but he will be settling for this for now.

As a high-ranking overzealous prosecutor, let me be the first to say that I don't expect any nominations for anything remotely Tom Green-related to the OP Hall of Fame. That includes anything involving Drew Barrymore, who is probably universally detested by every OP except, of course, for Kmac the Contrarian.

Overzealous Coultergeist

2007-08-19T10:51:00.000-04:00

Listen, this is getting out of hand. Surely, even Democratic Presidential contenders have shreds of dignity. We all know that John Edwards made his money off running good doctors out of business thereby lowering the quality of healthcare for everyone whom the doctors might have helped but also for everyone else since the cost of basic healthcare would go up out of fear of greedy lawyers like Edwards. We all knew that. But now he is running his campaign entirely off of mentioning Ann Coulter's name.

John Edwards: the people want to hear about ideas. They want to hear about a vision for the country that doesn't involve your divisive "Two Americas" approach. We want someone to unite us so that we may move forward, not backward into the 1960s with you and your party. As Mitt Romney says, we wish to leave even the era of Reagan-Bush behind. We want a future even better than that. Stop hating on the charming Ann Coulter.

And that's the overzealous memo for tonight.

Overzealous Dictator Death

2007-08-17T23:01:00.000-04:00

Sources have revealed to OP that Cuban dictator Fidel Castro has died. This shocking news is still developing.

You heard it here first, folks. OP is always on the inside bringing you news. Impacting....

Overzealous Prime Ministers

2007-08-10T13:32:00.000-04:00

I am hereby announcing exclusively on the OP my advocacy for Ken Dryden as leader of the Liberal Party of Canada. While comfortable with the current conservative government under the leadership of Prime Minister Stephen Harper, and while my focus is more immediately directed to the presidential campaign of Governor Mitt Romney, the heart of the Desert Fox is with the leadership bid of Ken Dryden.

A recent poll in Canada shows that many people agree. http://www.gandalfgroup.ca/downloads/Liberal_Leadership_The_Publics_Choice.pdf

After being drafted by the Boston Bruins in 1964, Dryden went on to attend Cornell University instead of reporting for his professional goaltending duties, instead becoming an accomplished scholar and star goaltender, leading his team to the NCAA championship in 1967. Having been traded to the Montreal Canadiens, he stayed out of the National Hockey League in favor of attending Law School at the University of McGill, famous for educating members of the Fraser family. In 1970, Dryden decided to turn pro and that year, won the rookie of the year, the Stanley cup, and the playoff MVP trophy. After two more successful seasons, he held out during
contract negotiations and finished his Law degree at McGill. Dryden retired from hockey at the age of 31 as one of the all time greatest goaltenders and pursued a career in broadcast journalism, writing, the front office of the Toronto Maple Leafs, and finally, politics. Dryden was elected to a Toronto district of the House of Commons and later to Parliament and named Minister of Social Development. He was re-elected in 2006 and later announced his current aspiration to lead the Liberal Party. You can check his MP profile here. Influential pundits from Canada's Liberal Party think that he is the most capable replacement for Paul Martin at the top of the party and Stephen Harper as Prime Minister:

"Dryden - Why can we win with Ken? Three simple reasons. (a.) He has high name recognition and a strong reputation - People know who Ken is and once they hear him speak and set out his vision, they will see an honest, sincere politician not out there trying to simply win 40% of the vote, but a man who honestly believes that government can do good in this country and that 100% of Canadians can get behind his idea of what Canada can be. (b.) He can raise money - The Liberals are desperately falling behind in the money chase. Ken is the only guy who can go into rural Canada and draw large crowds. While they may come out because of his sporting past, they'll stay to hear about his ideas. The key is getting people to listen and Ken is the only candidate who has the gift in this race. (c.) He has the right policies - Ken contrasts clearly with Harper's visionor lack there of. His description of a "pinched, small" Conservative ideology is strong and I think it will resonate with Canadians if he is given a stage onto which to shout it out. Imagine what we could do if the people running Iggy's or Rae's campaign were running Ken's. Imagine putting Kinsella's strategic mind behind the image and voice of Dryden.

If we want to win then we have to select a leader who can lead us there. Ken Dryden is the one - listen, watch and read - learn about the candidates and imagine them during a campaign. Once you do that, you'll understand that winning this time isn't really an option, it's a necessity and Ken's the candidate to do it."

Ken Dryden. Scholar goalie, renaissance man.

Overzealous Hall of Fame Induction: Kids Incorporated

2007-08-08T23:38:00.000-04:00

Today, many people are familiar with shows such as MMC, Even Stevens, Lizzie Maguire, and Hannah Montana. Yet back in the late 80's the Disney channel aired a classic television show that often goes unnoticed. That show, my friends, is Kids Incorporated- in my overzealous opinion, the greatest show ever on the Disney Channel. Here is the theme song from the season that features two people who are still relevant:

Yes, Stacy Ferguson was Fergie before the crystal meth addiction (shout out to Polk county). Also, yes that is Jennifer Love Hewitt, who was famous about 10 years ago. The show also featured Eric Balfour of cancelled TV shows fame and Fergie's bandmates from Wild Orchid.

However, the biggest contributor to Kids Inc.'s place atop my Disney Channel rankings can be found in the following clip, do yourself a favor and pay attention about 1 minute in:

Yes, ladies and gentlemen- that is AC Slater rapping! That alone vaults this show to the OP TV Hall of Fame. This is the first inductee, but rest assured, we will be looking for more and are accepting nominations.

Overzealous Russians

2007-08-08T18:26:00.001-04:00

One thing we can all agree on, as we each individually overzealously prosecute our pet issues (Desert Fox: Hockey and Heath Ledger, GreatOne: Gretzker, the Budget, and being an Independent, etc.), is that the Russians are playing a hilarious, if ill-advised, game of political hooky. The definitive geopolitical post on the subject, in my mind, comes from the spectacular Geographic Travels with Catholicgauze blog.

Now Canada has rushed into the thick of things as well, sending my favorite Canadian Prime Minister ever to assert sovereignty. Since many believe him to be more frigid than the Arctic Circle, this my have the effect of reversing the alleged warming going on and putting the chill on overzealous Russian claims to the region based on the most noble of "tectonic" shifts along with a hint of Vodka and maybe a pinch of desperation-- and all designed to cause uncertainty (this is a must read link).

The politics will play out similarly to, but perhaps faster than, the Spratly Islands dispute. In the vacuum of a real power (the UN handling either of these is such a joke), it will take time, money, and power to resolve both.

Who will be more overzealous? Russia or Canada? I propose an ultimate hockey death match, like the 1956 Olympic water polo match between Russia and Hungary, to find out. (Only, well, Russia didn't back out after they lost... hmmm.)

Overzealous comments

2007-08-08T16:00:00.001-04:00

Jane Fonda to Dr. Strangelove in a week. Not a plummet from positive to negative, but a transition from comparisons to one of America's most notorious traitors to an infamous fictitious blunder. I knew that a candidate as capable as Mitt Romney would have good taste in movies.

For those who didn't know, Barack Obama proclaimed in a South Carolina debate a month ago that his strategy for dealing with governments like Cuba, Iran, and Venezuela was to have friendly meetings over tea and scrumpets. The following week he claimed that the country needs to be prepared to bomb Pakistan to deal with possible terrorists.

Then, with the resolve of Steve Young and the sharp wit of Joseph Smith, Mitt Romney publicly compared Obama to Jane Fonda and General Jack Ripper. It's a good call, but I would rather see Hillary be discredited embarrassingly instead. More on the Romney campaign to come...

Overzealous Drunken Canadian Hockey Players

2007-08-08T14:40:00.000-04:00

Did anyone hear? Underneath the pile of the last 5,642 NFL players and University of Miami (FL) football players in the jail cell last month was Eric and Jordan Staal, the best of the burgeoning 1st family of NHL hockey. Eric is 22 and was enjoying his bachelor party while Jordan, 18, was along for the ride. They and about 20 more rambunctious drunken Canadians went south of the border to a Minnesota resort where they terrorized NFL fans and people who like the "Who's Now" segment.

Hilariously,

The Cook County Sheriff's Office said the brothers were among 14 arrested last
weekend after authorities received several complaints about "screaming, yelling
and playing loud music" at the resort in Northeastern Minnesota, about 2 hours
from the Staals' hometown of Thunder Bay, Ontario.
The sheriff said the group was warned multiple times before finally being ordered to leave the Lutsen Resort and Sea Villas in Lutsen, at which point the men gathered on a nearby highway and "began (overzealously) harassing motorists." That was when
authorities arrested the group, around 4 a.m. Saturday.

Is that why people like to follow sports? Because of the theives who go to FSU, the gun-toting low lifes of the NFL, the rapists of the University of Miami, and the game-fixers of the NBA? Well watch out American sports world, the NHL is about to rise to prominence again on the shoulders of the motorist-harassers of the Carolina Hurricanes.

On a more serious note, Eric and Jordan will both be very valuable fantasy players this year. Also look out for them to make a punishing line for Team Canada at future world tournaments and the 2010 Olympics. 2007/2008 predictions: Eric - 39/58, Jordan - 40/34. I'll take those numbers on the Crosby Show 2.

2008 in Film

2007-08-08T12:15:00.000-04:00

In the spirit of discussing new movies with new casts, I will choose my favorite franchise *OTHER than Star Trek of course*, Batman, and give an update on the progress of The Dark Knight, due out July 18, 2008.

The only casting decision better than casting Tim Cruz as Sargeant Skywalker in the new Star Trek is Heath Ledger as the Joker. The Aussie is proving to give, according to co-stars Michael Caine and Christian Bale, a phenomenal and creepy performance. With Christopher Nolan (from Disco's favorite movie The Prestige and Memento) at the helm, who knows what we're in for... all I know is that Batman will not upset us. If the Oscar-nominated gay cowboy can pull off Brokeback, I'm sure he can pull off playing a homicidal maniac. Based upon the quality of it's predecessor, Batman Begins, the Nolan style, and a cast of Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, Michael Caine, Gary Oldman, Morgan Freeman, and Aaron Eckhart, we are all in for a treat come Summer 08. You can check out a flashy teaser trailer here: http://www.comingsoon.net/films.php?id=15813

I'm sure those of you who saw Transformers in theatres were intrigued by the preview of the new sci-fi flick on the way simply titled 1-18-08. www.apple.com/trailers/paramount/11808/. The geeks of the world have been speculating about monsters and what-not, but the current JJ Abrams project is as much a mystery as the reason why Kelly Clarkson is famous. Looks exciting.

Also on tap for the Summer of 2008:

Indiana Jones 4, starring Harrison Ford reprising his classic role, and the annoying kid from Disturbia (probably as his son). Iron Man, the story of an alcoholic superhero clad in iron, starring Robert Downey Jr in the title role. The Incredible Hulk, the sequel/franchise reboot of 2003's flop "Hulk," starring Edward Norton in the title role and the oft-interesting Tim Roth as the villain. Of course we will all be waiting and anticipating The Dark Knight... I'll have my advance sale IMAX ticket as soon as possible.

NOTE: Admiral, create a poll to see what upcoming movie the OPs anticipate most...

P.S. Plenty of Mitt Romney propaganda posts on the way...

Tom Cruise as Captain Pike

2007-08-07T23:43:00.000-04:00

Good news. Casting on the new Star Trek movie continues, as does JJ Abrams' efforts to write Captain Kirk into the script. Leonard Nimoy has already signed on, having liked the script, which, incidentally, is an outstanding sign for the movie because he turned down acting and directing in Star Trek Generations on account of its awful script. Sources tell me that William Shatner is playing his usual routine of holding out for more money on Star Trek films, however.

All that aside, we have received some exciting news: Tom Cruise may play Captain Christopher Pike, the Captain who is relieved by Captain Kirk!!

...these new rumors only claim Abrams is looking at Cruise for a cameo role, which might be a favor the star would be willing to grant to his Mission: Impossible III director. IGN stressed that at this point there only seems to be a proposal from Abrams, and that there's no indication as to whether Cruise will actually accept the role.

In addition to their Cruise rumor, IGN noted that Paramount is trying to land an "A-lister" to play the film's main villain, but the site didn't reveal the name of this actor.

Again, I am heartened at the progress being made on this movie. Abrams is top quality, as are his screenwriters. If they are able to persuade Nimoy, who ran Star Trek with Harve Bennett for 9 years, then we are all in for a real treat come X-mas 2008.

Who's Now??

2007-08-07T14:10:00.000-04:00

Who is now ESPN?

I'll tell you, Worldwide Leader, I don't know who is the most "Now," but it's not you.

With nothing better to report on other than steroid-using Barry Bonds and steroid-using cyclists over a relatively sports-less summer of 07, ESPN has really reached far down into Stuart Scott's creative recesses for their latest terrible feature. It's essentially a theoretical tournament for what athlete Keyshawn Johnson and Jessica Biel think has the hottest wife or following of skanks. This lame little feature which Newsweek has described as "like chewing styrofoam" has quite literally turned me off of ESPN almost permanently. It's bad enough that they ignore the greatest sport in the world to promote the NFL, Barry Bonds, ultimate fighting, poker, NASCAR and arena football on a daily basis, they rubbed it in the faces of two of the top 4 athletes on the planet in Sidney Crosby and Roger Federer in the most annoying way possible. If ESPN ever makes mention of this segment again, just flip over to E! News or that VH1 show where the deadbeat D-list comedians comment on the week's entertainment news. That's all that Keyshawn and Jessica say on Who's Now.

Way to unofficially and pathetically deify Shaq, LeBron, LT, Peyton, and Tiger Woods some more ESPN.

I'd rather watch a segment featuring the Schwab eating at an all-you-can-eat BBQ. (Ironically as I write this in a sarcastic fashion I recall watching a serious report on competitive eating when some American fatass beat the little Japanese hot dog eater on July 4)

Well I, for one, am going to refuse to do what Michael Wilbon wants me to do. I don't care how much he loves Chicago and hates white people. No matter how much they peddle those sports stars to keep everyone watching them (which everyone does like little ESPN-puppets) I will resist. If there is anything in the world that I DON'T care about, it is the Baltimore Ravens training camp. Or how Terrell Owens pinky finger is feeling. Or how much Dale Earnhardt Jr. can charm the American South with how many times he can say "ya'll" on national TV. Or the latest chemist who juiced up Barry Bonds and the book he wrote about it. Or the 45th time Brett Favre has decided that he's (maybe) retiring.

ESPN, the Worldwide (NASCAR, NFL, NBA, and Poker) Leader in Sports... and making you feel like you'd rather chew styrofoam.

Esprit de Corps, Part II

2007-08-07T13:40:00.000-04:00

Perhaps the best known honor for the women and men of our armed forces is the Purple Heart. Not everyone knows why a member of our armed forces might receive one, or how John Kerry injured himself to get them, but it's worth looking into the story of this remarkable medal that has not, in fact, always been a part of our military's decorations.

The award, once termed the Badge of Military Merit, was started by General George Washington during the Revolutionary War and only awarded to a few men. It felt into disuse, and at the urging of private interests, was reinstated by the greatest commander of troops America has ever seen, and certainly its most brilliant, Douglas MacArthur:

The War Department announced the new award in General Order No. 3, February 22, 1932:

By order of the President of the United States, the Purple Heart established by General George Washington at Newburgh, August 7, 1782, during the War of the Revolution, is hereby revived out of respect to his memory and military achievements.

By Order of the Secretary War:

Douglas MacArthur,
General
Chief of Staff

Today, the Purple Heart is awarded for being wounded or killed in the line of duty. Ranked just below the Bronze Star in terms of prestige, it is nevertheless a tremendous honor to receive one or more of these awards. One of the most honored men to receive this award is Billy Waugh, who into his 70s, still serves our country in covert operations.

Esprit de Corps, Part I

2007-08-07T13:36:00.000-04:00

Something as timeless as Overzealous Prosecutors is well-worth remembering. As such, I present to you a story about the greatest commander of troops in American history, a vignette that not many know, but that everyone should:

In the spring of 1903, Douglas MacArthur graduated at the top of his class from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and was commissioned a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. To commemorate the occasion, his proud family presented him with 14 KT gold castle insignia as a graduation gift. MacArthur wore the castles as a young engineer officer and later carried them with him during his career as a commander in World War I, Army Chief of Staff, and Supreme Commander of the Allied Forces in the Pacific in World War II.

In March 1945, MacArthur presented the castles to Major General Leif Sverdrup, a close friend, who had served as chief engineer on his staff in the Southwest Pacific Area in World War II. MG Sverdrup recalled that General MacArthur, who had transferred to the infantry branch in 1917, told him that the castles meant very much to him, but that they “deserved to be worn by a real engineer” and that they should “never end up in a museum somewhere.”

Thirty years later, on May 2, 1975, MG Sverdrup attended the Engineer dinner at Fort Belvoir, Virginia, marking the Corps’ 200th anniversary. In a quiet corner before the banquet, MG Sverdrup presented the castles privately to LTG Gribble, then Chief of Engineers. Overwhelmed by the unexpected gesture, LTG Gribble later announced to the banquet guests his intention for the future: “I (propose) to hand the castles over to my successor at the conclusion of my tenure as Chief of Engineers, thus initiating an important tradition as well as discharging my trust to him.”

When General Gribble retired on 25 June 1976, he handed the coveted insignia over to his successor, LTG John W. Morris. The castles, Gribble said in his departing remarks, epitomized Esprit de Corps—the spirit of the Corps. Since then, all chiefs have received MacArthur’s gold castles upon assuming command and have proudly worn them as unique symbols of the spirit of the Engineer Regiment.

Overzealous Phrases

2006-05-08T16:20:00.000-04:00

As you know, the "It's something" craze has swept the country as of late. Although initially rumored to be a Mike Brown creation, it most certainly was not. The phrase, while stemming in popularity from Red Hat's unique cynicism, comes from fellow OP thegreatone. While we're still not sure who 'thegreatone' refers to, we're all fairly sure it's not Dwayne Gretzker.

For those who don't yet know, OPs have been responding to any and all comments with some variant of, "Yeah, it's something" and "It's something" "That's something..."

As an example, if you say, "I ate pizza last night," you should respond with, "You ate something." I needn't address the eternal "Listen" that one can use to begin any sentence and passed down to us from Sra. Madrigal.

Now we have added:

That's about right
EXAMPLE: Person A says just about anything, and you reply with "That's about right.")

This oughta be rich
EXAMPLE: Person B says "Let me tell you what happened yesterday..." and you say, "This oughta be rich." You have variants to choose from such as "This is rich..." "This is real rich..." and "That's rich."

Quoth the Raven
EXAMPLE: Person C says absolutely anything at all, and you remark, "Quoth the Raven." Although this is typically said in a cynical and pessimistic tone, you can really let go with this one. Everyone will always fear that you are about to say it since it can be used against anything. People may hate you, but it's the art of it all.

Currently under review: "That's a Pandora's Box" and "I want to mix things up."

Overzealous Desegregation

2005-12-15T02:35:00.000-05:00

You've seen Forrest Gump. You know that in the 1950s and 1960s our country struggled with desegregation. What a lot of people don't know is that in fact many districts had successfully fought off the federal's mandates of desegregation until Richard Nixon came into office. When Nixon brought his power to bear, the problem slipped away. Nixon is underrated.

But you all know that.

What you may not know is that before Nixon got to the scene on a national level for this problem, STEVE SPURRIER tackled it here in the south. Specifically, right here in Gainesville.

STEVE SPURRIER SINGLE-HANDEDLY DESEGREGATED THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA. This is an ***OP EXCLUSIVE***.

IMPACTING...

Overzealous GOLDEN GLOBES

2005-12-15T02:32:00.000-05:00

Incidentally,

Neither James Spader nor William Shatner have been nominated for this year's Golden Globes. My theory is that this is because the show took a pretty radical turn in its politics as well as hokiness, what with clown intimidation and beastiality and... god knows what else...

But the voters should not take it out on SHATNER who CARRIES this show and who everyone thinks is the purest television delight since Captain James T. Kirk hit the airwaves. This is a HUGE mistake.

And DON'T FORGET that both Shatner and Spader WON LAST YEAR. Not just the Golden Globes but the Emmys. If the respective academies do not start putting out awards that correspond to reality and what the folks want, then I daresay that their days are numbered.

Overzealous Dancing....with the "Stars"

2005-12-10T00:50:00.000-05:00

We here at OP would like to reveal the contestants in the latest Dancing with the Stars installment on ABC, along with some comments and our choice as a winner.

Wayne's World star Tia Carrere - asian people dont have rythym so she won't win

Journalist Giselle Fernandez- who???

George Hamilton- he's still alive??

WWE's Stacy Keibler- she used to be a cheerleader and someone similar won last time.

ESPN's Kenny Mayne - he will probably be the first one gone

Super Bowl champ Jerry Rice- Black people can dance

Rapper Romeo - he's not lil anymore...he's also not famous

Oscar winner Tatum O'Neal - she'll overdose sometime during the production and be replaced by corey haim.

Soap Talk's Lisa Rinna - um, we liked her on Melrose.

98 Degrees singer Drew Lachey - yes this is Nick's brother and yes we are still hoping for the 98 degrees reunion.

AND MY PICK TO WIN IS....STACY KEIBLER, Winning narrowly over Jerry Rice

The new season starts January 5th at 8 on ABC and I, for one, overzealously endorse it.

Overzealous Facebook Living

2005-12-06T23:07:00.000-05:00

Ladies and Gentlemen, do yourselves a favor and listen to "Facebook Living." This masterpiece is the first song dedicated to the facebook. The creative genius who has come out with this, the next great Billboard hit, is Nsami. His lyrics include:

You a thug but your profile soft

I'm not gettin poked by no goddamn men

Facebook is like a drug in the community/
all I do is think about it, damn what did it do to me

Under usual circumstances I would overzealously prosecute Nsami, but I fully support this great artist's work.

Overzealous Clarification

2005-12-04T20:18:00.000-05:00

There have been a lot of rumors lately swirling around Swamp Pundette-gate. I want to put some of them to rest.

First of all, no, we are not yet sure why SP said the things she did at the Senate meeting. We are continuing our investigation into this matter. I assure you that we WILL get to the bottom of this.

Second, we have not yet presented any indictments. The public is understandably confused over the matter because of the curiously quick and pointed denials by SP. Please refer all inquiries on that matter to SP herself.

Third, our fact-finding continues to impress and amaze but don't nominate us for any awards quite yet. We put our pants on one leg at a time, too... we just make gold records. And prosecute allied bloggers.

Finally, we will keep you updated as this issue continues to IMPACT....

Overzealous Swamp Pundette DISMAY!!!

2005-12-02T00:35:00.000-05:00

***OP EXCLUSIVE***

OP has uncovered evidence that the Swamp Pundette has been involved with the worst kind of left-wing, anti-life demagoguery-- and that she drove up from Orlando to do it. Sit down for this. From The Independent Florida Alligator:

Former Sen. Mother Jones [NAME CHANGE TO PROTECT THE ACCUSED] said she drove from Orlando to address the Senate on Tuesday night.

JONES asked senators if they “can force all students to wear blue armbands,” referring to armbands Student Body Treasurer Jamal Sowell and Vice President Kate Honey wore during their SG campaign in support of a hunger strike outside Taco Bell’s California headquarters.

SP asked Senators to do *what*? At this point, SG candidates had not yet been eviscerated by UES interrogators, so it is almost tempting to forgive this extraordinary indiscretion. However, SP is a leader in the conservative movement. Moreover, she is THE leader of the local Condi Rice fan club. Most importantly, she is a HUGE fan of Steve SPURRIER!!

SP-- come clean. What happened here? Did someone threaten your family? Did union workers threaten Steve Spurrier? You know that you can't deal with terrorists, SP. Whatever the case, the spin stops here.

***UPDATE 0313 hours***

Even big fans of SP are wondering what happened to her. TheGreatOne, an OP, says that her "bowden thing was genius," but had this to say when informed about the ultraliberal campaign: "wow that is big news. swamp pundette-gate."

Overzealous JUSTICE: Remastered

2005-12-02T00:10:00.000-05:00

Hey everyone,

Every now and then I like to go back and take a look at my greatest hits, recraft them a bit, add in completely useless graphics, and then make some more money. Since people loved OP's Overzealous JUSTICE article so much, I have brought it back and done just that--

And also to celebrate the fact that South Carolina deserves to be playing in the prestigious Outback Bowl on January 2nd while Florida tries to get some respect in the Independence Bowl (maybe). Apparently, villainous forces have, in the past few days, gathered in order to cloud USC's bowl picture. Hopefully those ppl read this post.

Enjoy!

(( And check out Swamp Pundette's groundbreaking post on Bobby Bowden ))

--------------------------------------

You've been hearing it all year long. You have heard the Overzealous Prosecutors, some of them anyway, telling you, BEGGING you to look at South Carolina.

Today, the Gator Nation achieved justice.

Steve Spurrier sent a message-- there will be JUSTICE. There will be PEACE. There will be good in this world, free of tyranny. Now football fans are freed, more free than they have been since 2001 under Spurrier's assault. Inspired by players who courageously faced Gators 3x their speed, their size, their ability, inspired by the coach who could, the coach who lived, fans will see a new game.

Indeed, we have reached the end of history. This is a new era and I am both excited and frightened. Anything is possible.

The University of South Carolina Gamecocks beat the University of Florida 30-22. OPs Disco and Admiral tied for the closest to the actual score, while Curtis Riddle achieved the closest victory margin.

Bernie Machen, Jeremy Foley... you've been served. Urban failed his exam, and so your time running the Gator Nation is almost over. The Gator NATION achieved victory today-- soon, perhaps, we will have a University President ready to unleash the people's creative energies and bring our nation together country-wide. Perhaps, too, our football program may recover and get coached up-- to treat their opponents, including overachieving ones like USC, with respect, to play to the maximum of their skill, and not the maximum of their comfort zones.

Gators, unite, and heal. This is what we needed.

A new day dawns.

Thank you, Steve Spurrier.

Overzealous Denial

2005-11-30T10:31:00.000-05:00

From this article about Michael Jackson's attorney Tom Mesereau:

"Mesereau also defended Larry Carroll, a local newsman who had been accused of a complex fraud. Those charges were dismissed.

And finally, there is Michael Jackson — the seemingly self-tortured black man who is one of the most famous and unusual celebrities in the world.

"I didn't get to Michael Jackson through a Hollywood connection," Mesereau says. "A person close to Michael Jackson knew a lot about my work in the black community." For Mesereau, the Jackson matter was everything he could want — a high-profile case with "an absolutely ideal client on a personal level" whom he saw as persecuted by overzealous prosecutors."

We here at OP would like to deny this baseless accusation by Mr. Mesereau. Overzealous Prosecutors has been steadfast in our support for the King of Pop, going as far as suggesting he deserved sovereign immunity seeing as how he is a monarch.

Overzealous Scare Tactics

2005-11-29T12:34:00.000-05:00

Now, let me tell you, I LOVE the Scare Tactics show. I will sit there crying laughing so hard. There's just no other show that has ever had that effect on me. I love seeing people crap their pants because aliens are running towards them or zombies and stuff.

Compliments of Taylor D, I have some HILARIOUS clips to show you. If y'all know of any more please send them to me!

Gay PETA activist meets a "Little Monster Man"

Trick or Treating in Union Park

Overzealous Gators

2005-11-29T09:59:00.000-05:00

And oh, by the way,

Unlike the wildly overachieving South Carolina Gamecocks, the Florida Gators finally performed right around where we expected them to perform this year and won against the woefully incompetent FSU 34-7.

Let it not be said that OP does not cover all great news in the Gator Nation-- that's right, Sunbuzz, I'm looking in your direction.

Overzealous Reader Mail

2005-11-28T19:28:00.000-05:00

I've been getting a lot of reader mail asking when a blog devoted exclusively to Steve Spurrier himself will be created. Let me just say that the thought had occurred to me and I am investigating it.

=/\=

Overzealous Celebrity Blogs

2005-11-25T14:09:00.000-05:00

***OP EXCLUSIVE***

...compliments of the Armchair Generalist, we have some celebrity bloggers on the prowl:

-Zach Braff, from Scrubs and Garden State
-Ben Roethlisberger, star quarterback of the Pittsburgh Steelers
-Scott Adams, creator/author of Dilbert

Overzealous Quiz

2005-11-25T13:16:00.000-05:00

Happy Thanksgiving and Black Friday everyone!

You scored as Idealist. Idealism centers around the belief that we are moving towards something greater. An odd mix of evolutionist and spiritualist, you see the divine within ourselves, waiting to emerge over time. Many religious traditions express how the divine spirit lost its identity, thus creating our world of turmoil, but in time it will find itself and all things will again become one.

Idealist

69%

Cultural Creative

69%

Existentialist

56%

Postmodernist

56%

Romanticist

44%

Fundamentalist

31%

Modernist

25%

Materialist

13%

What is Your World View? (updated)
created with QuizFarm.com

Overzealous FTAA Debate

2005-11-20T13:11:00.000-05:00

Hey everyone,

I'd like to thank those of you who came out to show support for people, freedom, humanity, people doing well, people getting jobs, and so on.

Once upon a time, and by once upon a time I mean in the year 2293, Captain James T. Kirk overcame his own deep-seeded prejudice to create peace between the Klingon Empire and Federation. He did so knowing that, instead, the Federation could have kept a strong military and brought them to their knees-- dictated terms to them since their Empire was in collapse.

Kirk said, "Your father spoke of the future as the undiscovered country."

Spock replied that he had thought Hamlet always referred to death.

But that the dread of something after death,
The undiscovered country, from whose bourn
No traveler returns, puzzles the will
And makes us rather bear those ills we have,
Than fly to others we know not of.

Kirk nodded, saying that "Gorkon thought it might mean something else-- another kind of life. People can be very frightened of change."

And that's all the anti-FTAA people are: desperately frightened of change. I'm sure they know that the times will inevitably pass them by and we remain locked inexorably to greater ties amongst each other. It's too late to go back. And why would we want to?

(( Well, if our brave new world was being led by some of the UESers at the debate, I could understand their fear but... ))

Overzealous FREEMAN v. HACKMAN

2005-11-18T22:41:00.000-05:00

Ladies and gentlemen,

For some time, in the real world, Overzealous Prosecutors have debated the question: who has had the worse career, Gene Hackman or Morgan Freeman? I don't want to go too deeply into the debate on-line-- we await your comments.

Overzealous Nittany Lions

2005-11-16T12:11:00.000-05:00

Every now and then I come across some outstanding videos. I simply can't get enough of this one, which I post on this blog with Disco in mind:

Nittany Lions perform THRILLER

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaand

Nittany Lion performs NAPOLEON DYNAMITE

Overzealous Fight Club: State Style

2005-11-16T01:54:00.000-05:00

As you have probably figured out, the overzealous fight club theme might be here for a while, so please bare with me. The question of the night is that If America were to ever go into Civil War, with every state for themselves, who would win and why? Well I have done some research and I came up with my top 10 states not to be F'n with. I'll be starting with number 10.

10. California - Land mass, Gov. Terminator & Population help; Fags, Hippies & Enviornmentalists hold down its potential. Proves Size does matter.

9. Carolinas - Together they can make quite the team. With NC size and SC backbone, I like their chances as one state.

8. West Virginia - coal mining state; hard workin lower class blue collar workers; good country people,

7. Tennesee - Good ole Rocky Top; Home of country music, what more could you ask for?

6. New York - Hate to admit a yankee state, but you can't deny it. Home of the Yankees, Madison Square Gardens, Jets, Giants, Cats, empire state building, Vinny Chase, 9/11, that big christmas tree and news years eve ball

5. Virginia - Home of legindary Gen Robert E. Lee; Stronghold for South during Civil War I; Alot of former Presidents born here. First US cities established here. Good state.

4. Alabama - Home of Forrest Gump, Lynard Skynard, kid off American Idol and the rebel flag. Thank you Alabama, we all know not to mess with you, you'll spray us with water hoses. "Well I think you should come home with me to Greenbo ALABAMA"

3. Georgia - Georgia, sweet georgia... The Peach State, site of last years Peach bowl (any1 remember), Site of 1996 Olympics, southern as you can get. I like GA, next best thing to FLA

2. Texas - Home of the Pall Wall, Mike Jones, Bun B, DJ Screw, Bush Family and the Dallas Cowboys; The Lonestar State; Dont mess with Texas.

1. Florida - Good ole Sunshine State. Home of Jack Edmund

Overzealous Fight Club: NFL Style

2005-11-14T00:19:00.000-05:00

Who is the toughest player in the NFL? This is a question that is commonly asked amongst reporters around the league. Although this is a good question for debate, it is still the wrong one. The real question fans want to hear is: Who is the baddest bitch in the NFL? The difference in the two questions doesnt seem very different, but the answers are. Below is my top 25 nfl players that i don't want to throw hands with in a drunken bar fight.

1. Ray Lewis
2. Joey Porter
3. Jevon Kearse
4. Lavaar Arington
5. Zach Thomas
6. Kyle Turley
7. Jeremiah Trotter
8. LaRoi Glover
9. Terell Suggs
10. Julian Peterson
11. Jeremy Shockey
12. Terrell Owens
13. Willie McGinest
14. Troy Polamalu
15. Robert Gallory
16. Micheal Strahan
17. Takeo Spikes
18. Sebastian Janokowski
19. THE Roy Williams
20. Ed Reed
21. Brian Urlacher
22. Dwight Freeney
23. Hines Ward
24. Rod Smart (HeHateMe)
25. Brett "the hitman" Farve

*Ken Dorsey was not considered for this contest in order to give others listed a chance. We all know he is a winner*

Overzealous TRAITORS

2005-11-12T18:44:00.000-05:00

Anyone who is happy with South Carolina beating UF is a traitor. I love SOS as much as the next guy but SOS is NOT bigger than UF. No one person or entity is bigger than UF. I find it very hard to believe in this so-called justice BS spewed off in the previous post.

Whomever wrote that garbage in the previous post (gee, I wonder who it was) should be embarrassed for themselves. Gator Nation is embarrassed to have you as fans. SOS is now the enemy, his previous deeds not forgotten, but SOS is the enemy. SOS could have had any other coaching job he wanted but he chose to take the one where he would be forced to come into the Swamp and try and beat his alma mater. It baffles me, and so do these so called Gator fans.

In all kinds of weather...

Overzealous Spurrier Can Kiss MY ass

2005-11-12T15:51:00.000-05:00

All I hear about is the "Fun N Gun" or playin' a lil pitch and catch. Well besides one broken play, the gamecocks so called "offense" didnt do a damn thing. It was more of the Gators losing than SC winning. (kinda like FSU-Miami) Anyway, chocolate chip kudos to SOS, the gators sucked just enough and SC made them pay. It doesnt matter much though, I'm kinda glad beens they dont take advantage of the 5'11 185 lbs. phenom out of Ft. Meade. Therefore I am boycotting the rest of the Gators season, well maybe not but we all should. Not getting the ball to your PLAYMAKER is simply retarded. Anyway the real team from the state of Florida is on, beens FSU and UF both shitted the bed today, I guess Miami will have to bail us all out, again... Boy people this is really getting annoying, get good for once, seriously...

OVERZEALOUS JUSTICE

2005-11-12T15:45:00.000-05:00

You've been hearing it all year long. You have heard the Overzealous Prosecutors, some of them anyway, telling you, BEGGING you to look at South Carolina.

Today, the Gator Nation achieved justice.

Steve Spurrier sent a message-- there will be JUSTICE. There will be PEACE. There will be good in this world, free of tyranny. Now football fans are freed, more free than they have been since 2001 under Spurrier's assault. Inspired by players who courageously faced Gators 3x their speed, their size, their ability, inspired by the coach who could, the coach who lived, fans will see a new game.

Indeed, we have reached the end of history. This is a new era and I am both excited and frightened. Anything is possible.

The University of South Carolina Gamecocks beat the University of Florida 30-22. OPs Disco and Admiral tied for the closest to the actual score, while Curtis Riddle achieved the closest victory margin.

Bernie Machen, Jeremy Foley... you've been served. Urban failed his exam, and so your time running the Gator Nation is almost over. The Gator NATION achieved victory today-- soon, perhaps, we will have a University President ready to unleash the people's creative energies and bring our nation together country-wide. Perhaps, too, our football program may recover and get coached up-- to treat their opponents, including overachieving ones like USC, with respect, to play to the maximum of their skill, and not the maximum of their comfort zones.

Gators, unite, and heal. This is what we needed.

A new day dawns.

Thank you, Steve Spurrier.

Overzealous ... Something

2005-11-11T12:26:00.000-05:00

Hey,

I think we should take a poll. I want to know if Curtis and Kyle recognize these girls because I have my hunches.

Is this video done by girls at:
-Iowa State
-Iowa
-South Dakota
-Montana
-Ft. Meade

How about this video?

This is too depressing to be from the Meade, too Donnie Darko. But what about THIS?

Of course, we wouldn't want to forget Inverness's artistic contributions. Or how about this girl? Hahah just kidding, she's a Meadean.

This is mostly me and my pals. Anyway.

Overzealous Predictions

2005-11-09T12:32:00.000-05:00

This week the biggest game of the NCAA football season will be on television. Live from Columbia, on FOX, the Florida Gators mount an assault on the South Carolina Gamecocks. Now that people know the "USC" in California is just an imposter, they are taking notice of this new SEC East powerhouse, which in its first year of rebirth, already has a chance to tie for 1st in the SEC East. This remarkable turn of events was caused by ONE man:

STEVE SPURRIER.

But don't take my word for it. In fact, please read this excerpt on the subject from one of the state's premiere columnists:

But all of us also know that it's really never been about how good Urban Meyer can be. It's always been about whether or not he can be better than the guy who will always define this program -- Stephen Orr Spurrier.

That is why this Saturday's road game against South Carolina isn't just a big test.

It's Urban Meyer's first-semester final exam.

Even if he turns your stomach, you still can't turn him off. He titillates and fascinates, cajoling and compelling our attention. What Spurrier's done at South Carolina has been this season's most intriguing story in the SEC, perhaps even in all of college football.

Spurrier has the South Carolina Gamecocks at 6-3, which is only one game behind Urban Meyer's 7-2 record at UF. And if USC wins this Saturday, then the records are identical, both overall and in the SEC.

But comparing USC to UF isn't fair. Not when you look at the talent. Comparing USC's talent to UF's talent is like comparing a Kia to a Cadillac.

So here's a better comparison, a better gauge.

54-17.

You know what that is?

That's the score Florida went on the road and beat South Carolina by back in 2001, when Steve Spurrier last coached the Gators. I have a question. Do you think UF will come anywhere near beating the Gamecocks by 37 points this Saturday?

(The columnist respectfully pauses here to allow room for a laugh track.)

The larger question, the real question, of course, is whether the Gators will win at all? If they don't, think of the weeping and gnashing of the teeth in Gator Nation. Because, if Urban Meyer can't beat Steve Spurrier now, when South Carolina has little, if any, talent to speak of, then what does that bode for the future?

With this in mind, Overzealous Prosecutors welcomes your predictions on the game. If you comment them I will put them in the edited version of this post. As of right now, they stand:

Disco: USC wins 38-21
Admiral: USC wins 34-17
Curtis Riddle: USC wins 23-17
ButchDavis: UF wins 41-20
Mike Brown: UF wins 24-17
TheGreatOne: UF wins 28-10
Brian Reves: UF wins 35-17
Scotty Reynolds: UF wins 27-24

Overzealous Canes

2005-11-07T02:15:00.000-05:00

On Sunday, October 30, 2005 in a room full of witnesses, a bold prediction/statement was made by a local star-student, Kyle DeVane. It was short and to the point. And I quote, "Miami will beat Va Tech by three touchdowns (21) on Saturday." Well he was wrong, they won by 20. Although he was persecuted and badgered by all there that remarkable night, he stuck to his foresight. After heated debates, DeVane went as far as telling all in attendance to "Write it down", It seems they should have taken his advice. In one particular part of this altercation, Florida Alumni Scotty Reynalds was quoted as saying "Miami will get blown out. Marcus Vick will score four touchdowns." Well as the song goes, "Scotty doesnt know" what in the hell he is talking about, but Mr. DeVane sure did. As he predicted, "The U", as some might call them, DOMINATED the entire game from start to finish. Dominating every aspect of the game, it kinda gave the feeling that Miami is back and they are for real. As for Miami fans, it couldnt have come at a better time, since it has been a whopping four years since the canes have won a national championship. Most programs wouldn't be bothered by that, but that is what seperates Miami from all other schools, they EXPECT to win every game. Correct me if I am wrong, and I might be (wink) but in its programs history this current four year spand is its longest drought of not winning a championship. Oh but cheer up CanesFans b/c the swagger is back, and the canes are swarming. For all of you who have been to the legendary ORANGE BOWL, (i apologize) you know that when the hurricanes come out on the field, Rockstar legend Phil Collins' "Can you feel it coming in the air tonight" is blared over the loud speakers. To capture the feeling is impossible with words, but to answer PC's question, Yes I can. I can feel it coming in the air tonight and I felt it Saturday night all the way from Blacksburg VA. So watch out college football world, b/c USC (The REAL USC TROJANS not that shitty overrated south carolina game"cocksucker" school) or Texas might just slip up (Alabamas falter is a given) and there is a team down in South Florida who is waiting and watching. Dont try to figure it out, It's a Canes thing...

Overzealous Shatner

2005-11-06T16:47:00.000-05:00

Since Shatner is such a star, I figured I'd give him his own post here. I've done some digging and found more great videos of him.

Watch Kirk kick Picard's sorry ass in Star Trek Generations, the way the film should have been done.

Watch someone who looks like me pay respect to William Shatner in Warp Factor Love. My favorite line is "I don't care about the PRIME DIRECTIVE!"

Watch Shatner get inside the heads of woolly monsters. I have seriously never heard such an educated analysis about Mugatu-- parodied of course by Will Farrell in Zoolander.

WATCH THE MOST BRILLIANT SHATNER CLIP PERHAPS EVER: THE MTV MOVIE AWARDS "SEVEN" SPOOF. Shatner does a brilliant Spacey, I think we'll all agree.

Thought we were done? Nope: watch this student skit featuring a Shatner voiceover from his award-winning Grammy buzz-generating album Has Been.

Finally... guys... I don't know if you're ready for this. I know I wasn't. This is a full detailed life story interview with William Shatner by the Academic of Television and Arts and whatever/whoever/who cares. It's remarkable interview, but conducted in 1999 so it lacks some of the best years of his life. You can Google video search "Shatner" and see the other 4 parts. This is breathtaking.

Overzealous Recording Deals

2005-11-06T16:30:00.000-05:00

As much as I love dead blogs, I figured I would post a little note. On Drudge, they have a funny little Newsweek Aniston column. She had these poignant comments to wrap up her survey of life and times:

Radiohead. When are they going to make a new album? Where are they? Where did they go? I also want to know why Steve Perry left Journey.

In unrelated news, it seems that William Shatner is continuing his smash hit recording career with performances alongside country star Brad Paisley. Everyone's trying to sign him to new recording deals, so it seems as though old fashioned slow-dance groups like Radiohead are being left behind by the innovators.He continues to generate Grammy buzz. Take this incredible, fawning review:

I think I love William Shatner. Maybe I did all along and didn't know it. Not in the way a man loves a man, but the way a man loves an artist, a courageous trier

Or this wonderful moment from the same column:

You definitely have to be old enough to remember Shatner's run as Capt. Kirk to have understood a reference to "Star Trek" nemeses on "Boston Legal." Spader spoke of sea lice wiping out salmon: "They call them cling-ons." Shatner's eyes froze, as if an old soldier's wounds split open: "Did you say ... Klingons?"

HAHAHAHAHA.

If you can't help yourself and want more SHATNER, in the way Bruce Dickinson wants more cowbell, then travel here and be amazed.

OVERZEALOUS GAMECOCK DOMINATION

2005-10-29T23:18:00.000-04:00

I HAVE SEEN THE LIGHT....AND THE LIGHT IS COMING FROM COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA.

Tonight, against all odds a vastly overmatched University of South Carolina Gamecocks football team eviscerated the Tennessee Volunteers.

SOS took a team that would be beaten by the Little Giants and turned them into instant National Championship contenders. The polls may prevent the Gamecocks from taking their rightful throne as BCS champions, but next year will be a different story. Steve Spurrier has already taken the team to #1 ranking in the OP poll, next year it WILL BE ALL POLLS.

In two weeks, the Gators will face the man who should have been their coach, if treated with the proper respect. SOS will show no mercy to the men who stabbed him in the back. Foley and Machen, you two made your bed, now you have to lie in it.

Once again, Stephen Orr Spurrier proved he is the greatest coach of all time, in any sport.

Overzealous Lohan

2005-10-26T10:02:00.000-04:00

I was listening to Howard Stern this morning and he played a clip of the new Lindsay Lohan single, I believe it is titled Confessions of a Broken Heart.

Now I don't want to get off on a rant here (by the way where is Dennis Miller these days, I think he is underrated), but Lohan could be the worst singer I've heard in recent memory. It doesn't help that the song is also horrible, but Lohan's voice makes it absolutely unlistenable.

I can understand trying to capitalize on your fame while it lasts, and I guess there are fans of Lohan's movies who will buy her CD, but she is so obviously out of her element trying to sing that I would think she would have some sense of shame and give it up.

Unfortunately I think this commentary won't convince Lohan to give up her musical aspirations, the publicity machine that no doubt surrounds her could probably make her believe that she is an Admiral in the Starfleet like Lieutenant Kirk or Han Solo if they wanted to.

If you want good pop music these days please reference my earlier post about Kelly Clarkson.

Overzealous thoughts

2005-10-25T00:48:00.000-04:00

Apparently Rosa Parks died today. I had no idea she was still alive. Anyway, I think she was overrated.

ALSO....

Today marks the one year anniversary that the University of Florida was rid of the curse that is Ron Zook. Rejoice for we do not have to put up with this:

"We can do what we need to do, we just have to do it when we need to do it."

"Throwing the ball downfield? I'm not sure if that means throwing it long or throwing it deep."

Following a loss to Ole Miss that featured a game plan to run the football against a defense that was torched for over 500 yards passing the previous week: "We thought they thought we would try to pass it."

''I don't know what to tell you, I know what we're doing works. Obviously, it's not working out there, but like I told our football team: We're not going to stop. We're going to keep coaching, we're going to keep pushing, we're going to keep pressing."

"I know we are close. We have a long way to go, but we are close."

"There's really not a whole lot you can say," said Illini coach Ron Zook after watching his team's losing streak reach five games. "We're going to keep pushing and squeezing and turning. I know there were some good things out there tonight. We've got to keep going."

"Rex was open"- On Vernell Brown's pass attempt in the Outback bowl

"I am not Steve Spurrier."

WE SHOULDV'E BROUGHT BACK SPURRIER!!! FIRE FOLEY!!! FIRE MACHEN!!!

Overzealous Jackass Orchestra

2005-10-22T18:39:00.000-04:00

OP EXCLUSIVE:

A lot of people have been hearing rumors that the newly-formed Jackass Orchestra will be going on tour soon. I am not allowed to divulge too much at this time, but the details of who is playing what are:

Drums - KMac
Guitar - Disco
Keyboard - Admiral

It is possible that Red Hat will be performing background vocals and TheGreatOne will mostly be complaining.

Overzealous Ugliest Baby Alive

2005-10-21T00:09:00.000-04:00

After a brief hiatus while drawing up some ball plays with Stephen Orr Spurrier I have returned.

Now, I'm sure most of us have seen the ugliest dog alive:

Now I would like to introduce you all to the uglies baby alive. The mother of this child is one of the most beautiful women on earth, Heidi Klum. The father however, is Seal...and he apparently brings the average way down. Be prepared ladies and gentlemen, I give you Heidi Klum and Seal's child, courtesy of German In Touch Magazine:

Overzealous Godmothers

2005-10-17T22:55:00.000-04:00

By way of a loyal OP reader:

"Scouting for 'Camel Toads' at Pool"

Ummm... lady, just sit back, sip your iced tea, and relax. :) No, it's not him becoming a drug addict that you need to worry about.

It's him becoming a Democrat that should worry you. I know you're a decent God-fearing patriotic American, that is to say, a Republican, so you have to understand that your godson is a crude young lad, destined to follow in Bill Clinton's footsteps of objectifying women, surely, the fairer sex. He will most likely become a Democrat without some real guidance from you because obviously his parents aren't doing a good job (I'm not sure which is worse, 'camel toes' or 'camel toad'...).

The next time you give him an iced tea, give him a little American flag, too. Sing a song, like, say... Lee Greenwood's 'God Bless the U.S.A.'

Overzealous HEROS

2005-10-17T17:29:00.000-04:00

Does anyone read this blog anymore? LOL... I guess not, so I will just post a little something for you and me before hitting the books again.

HOW WILLIAM SHATNER CHANGED THE WORLD

To quote:

You’ve got a cell phone at one ear, an iPod at the other, you know that Blackberry is now a verb and Spam is not only canned meat of questionable origin. But just how did we get here? Blame William Shatner – yes, that William Shatner. Premiering Sun., Nov. 13 at 8 p.m. ET/9 p.m. PT on Discovery Channel, How William Shatner Changed the World boldly goes where few have gone before to reveal how scientists are surpassing the far-out vision of the future foreshadowed in Star Trek

Brace yourselves, for on November 13th, you will realize what I have been telling you all along: Star Trek is real and bringing us into its future.

Never forget that this future belongs to you as well, it is not too late to understand Star Trek's magnificence, as well as Captain James T. Kirk's. Kirk, obviously, is still going strong. Got to love him.

Overzealous Bad Blogging

2005-10-14T13:48:00.000-04:00

Because I'm desperate here, I will go ahead and just paste the most ridiculous quiz I have ever taken. Comments are, frankly, unwelcome, though I know that won't stop Red Hat. Maybe I'll just pre-empt him. OKay, here goes:

RH: Well isn't Admiral a barrel of laughs?

Or

RH: I love the smell of bad blog posts in the morning.

Hahaha! Okay, now moving on to the 'bad blog post'... and let me be clear: due to this most ridiculous and insane result, let's just say that I never took the quiz in the first place and also that it's ludicrously untrue.

Your Seduction Style: Fantasy Lover

You know that ideal love that each of us dreams of from childhood? That's you!
Not because you posess all of the ideal characteristics, but because you are a savvy shape shifter.
You have the uncanny ability to detect someone's particular fantasy... and make it you.

You inspire each person to be an idealist and passionate, and you make each moment memorable
Even a simple coffee date with you can be the most romantic moment of someone's life
By giving your date exactly what he or she desires, you quickly become the ideal lover.

Your abilities to make dreams come true is so strong, that you are often the love of many people's lives.
Your ex's (and even people you have simply met or been friends with) long to be yours.
No doubt you are the one others have dreamed of... your biggest challenge is finding *your* dream lover.

What Kind of Seducer Are You?

Overzealous Mandla

2005-10-11T23:12:00.000-04:00

Ahem, via Matt Drudge:

"Wonder and his current wife, Kai, celebrated the birth of their son, Mandla, a name the musician says was suggested by a friend, former South African President Nelson Mandela."

That'd be like me telling you all to name your kids WAUGH! Nigga, please!

Overzealous UES Avoidance

2005-10-11T18:38:00.000-04:00

I'll be time-out coordinator at the volleyball game on Wednesday (starts @ 7, but call is @ 4). So if anyone wants to bust out of UES, avoid CRs like the plauge (Admiral?) and come watch Red Hat doing some serious red-hatting, I encourage you to do so.

Plus, c'mon, volleyball girls. It's like window shopping for guys.

Overzealous Skip Update

2005-10-10T01:55:00.000-04:00

From Skip Moedinger's latest profile at UCF on thefacebook:

"I now see clearly that I am a man of destiny. No plan of God's can be thwarted. Please aid in this process coming to pass by praying for me. I see with vivid clarity that God has an urgent call upon my life, a claim I must to him for. He has given me a sharp mind and a courageous heart, which I must use to promote love, truth, and justice. I need to free the slaves and rescue the precious diamonds of human sould from being cast into the garbage heap of hell."

When I met him, I hugged him. When Disco met him, he picked Skip up. Now you can see why we have such affection for him.

OP Poll, Week 1

2005-10-08T22:54:00.000-04:00

As you know, the way that college football rankings are achieved is terrible. Between the AP Poll, the ESPN / Coaches Poll, and the BCS, there is simply no justice in this sport. In an effort to bring back sanity into the system, the Overzealous Prosecutors have sent in their own top 25, and bottom 5, making sure to integrate key overlooked components of rankings such as: karma, stadium, fun, intelligence, coaching.

Week 1
Top 25	Bottom 5
1. South Carolina 2. Florida 2. Texas Tech 4. USC 5. Notre Dame 6. Texas 7. VA Tech 8. Auburn 9. Oklahoma 10. California 11. LSU 12. Arizona 13. Michigan State 14. Duke 15. UCLA 15. Nebraska 15. Oregon 19. Hawaii 19. Texas A&M 19. Northwestern 22. Iowa 23. GA Tech 23. Boise State 25. Maryland	176. FAU 177. FIU 178. Pittsburgh 179. UCF 180. Illinois

This poll brings back science to the poll system and we are confident that in the next revision of the retarded BCS, the OP Poll will be adopted. As it stands, South Carolina has jumped to an exciting lead.

Overzealous OP Names Academy

2005-10-08T20:20:00.000-04:00

This is the first codified edition of the OP Names Academy's findings. We meet on a continual basis to find people's real names. It's kind of like how those formal dictionaries don't really store all the words in a language. We know better: people are better known as other names sometimes, as they are often better known as these names.

UF Student Body President formerly known as Joe Goldberg is now:
CHUCK Goldberg

UF debater formerly known as Raju Vyas:
ROGER Vyas

Sammy with an I:
SHIT FOR BRAINS

Arch-conservative and accounting legend formerly known as Michael Mayberry:
SAMMY Mayberry

Former UF "student" Michael Brown:
MIKEBROWN

Former UF CR guitarist formerly known as Lowell Wong:
LARRY Wong

Past, current, future UF student unreasonably assigned a class to teach formerly known as Charlie Grapski:
HOMER Grapski

Stay tuned for more.

Overzealous CHARLIE GRAPSKI Intro

2005-10-08T20:08:00.000-04:00

This is a solemn occasion. OP long feared this day would come-- the day when we had to speak out against someone who simply lives to bring pain on innocent (though uncaring) masses. But OP speaks for the people, and Charlie Grapski must be held to account. As of this day, we will counter Grapski propaganda with the truth, free of insane liberal spin and denial.

OP will pursue fair and balanced journalism in the pursuit of exposing Grapski for the fraud he is. No, you will never have the same view on life again. With hope, seeing a marginalized Grapski will give you optimism for the hard times ahead.

This is Charlie Grapski, on the right:

OP takes the position that people are inherently good. Like Saddam Hussein, who was a good author, and Adolf Hitler, who was a good painter, Charlie simply took a wrong turn somewhere. Perhaps he was teased too much as a child. For whatever reason, he permanently inhabits UF with the sole purpose of taking down other people. Soon, you will know this side of a once-young man's story. OP further wishes that Charlie will open his mind and redeem himself.

Overzealous Lack of Coverage Part II

2005-10-07T13:35:00.000-04:00

Fellow prosecutor Admiral and I have been discussing this issue, and we are both extremely angry about it.

In a nutshell the UN wants to take control over the basic foundation of the internet which is currently controlled by the US government.

A quote from the article:

"But the refusal to budge only strengthened opposition, and now the world's governments are expected to agree a deal to award themselves ultimate control. It will be officially raised at a UN summit of world leaders next month and, faced with international consensus, there is little the US government can do but acquiesce."

My fellow prosecutors know more than I about the political machinations that will decide this issue, but I know two things for sure:

1) It disgusts me that the American government and American universities and American men and women CREATED the internet out of nothing; and now the jealous, anti-American UN wants to steal it from us.

2)I have supported president Bush for a long time, but this is the issue that may change that. If Bush allows the Department of Commerce to give up control over the foundation of the internet to countries like China and Iran because it isn't worth the fight or whatever, he will lose my support immediately and permanently.

Stay tuned, we may have another overzealous prosecutor who supports the Libertarian party in the near future.

Overzealous reminder

2005-10-06T23:28:00.000-04:00

Just wanted to remind you all that Jeremy Foley hired Ron Zook:

"When I say we're not as far away as everyone thinks, people probably chuckle,'' Zook said. "But the things that need to be corrected are correctible.''

Erin Andrews ESPN: “Well coach Marcus Randall comes in and gives LSU quite a boost. What kind of adjustments do you need to make?”

Ron Zook Unqualified Head Football Coach at The University of Florida: “Well you know we just got to play, we got to get into that situation, we’re gonna be in that situation, there’s no question being in that situation during a game. Our guys gotta play. I mean, you know it’s just, ah, you know, we can’t freeze up. We got, we can’t be afraid to come after them and do the things we do. We can’t, you know you get into those situations you got to be able to play ’em.

Fire Foley! Fire Machen!
Spurrier for President of UF!

Overzealous Blood for Oil

2005-10-06T08:16:00.000-04:00

***OP EXCLUSIVE***

This just in to the OP compound:

Apparently some "miscreants" have taken the opportunity to scrawl a PRO Blood for Oil message along the wall on 34th St. I don't know how long it will be there, or who actually did the deed, but pay special attention when driving by today. I cannot imagine that the ANTI Blood for Oil faction will let it stay up for long.

To follow up, there is a facebook group run by associate OP Mike Redondo also, perhaps coincidentally, called YES Blood for Oil.

IMPACTING......

Overzealous Lack of Coverage

2005-10-05T22:55:00.000-04:00

Is it just me, or has this story not received enough media coverage?

A quote from the homeland security website:

"It appears that HINRICHS was part of a larger plan that included members of an Islamic terrorist cell based in and around the Norman and Oklahoma City, Oklahoma area. As a Caucasian, it was much easier for him to obtain the materials needed to create a large bomb, act in concert with members of the local terrorist cell, and strike when relative calm was the word of the day"

Scary stuff.

Getting Overzealously Angry

2005-10-03T14:57:00.000-04:00

That's what I'm getting. You know how it is with me, a few slights here and there I can deal. When it starts mounting, I snap and all Hell breaks loose. People start crying. People dive into foxholes to avoid fallout. That sort of thing.

So let me tick off a few of the tidbits beginning to grate:
-Economics Society meetings: the last one might've been the worst I've been to in years. I need you to come and make it good again. For those of you casual readers, we meet Wednesdays at 5:10 pm in Matherly 120-- well, when we're lucky. When we're not, we're up in MAT224.
-The French using cats and dogs as live bait for sharks. I'm this close to the edge, folks.
-Not getting credit for quality foreign policy decisions. Karen Hughes has always been frank, opinionated, and she's almost always right. Here, she couldn't have been any closer to the mark, as TNR's TA Frank highlights, and yet liberals are criticizing her. She said that women should be able to drive in Saudi Arabia. OH, woe of WOES!
-And I swear, so help me God, if anyone lays a finger on Margaret Thatcher, there are going to be SERIOUS consequences. She did *nothing wrong* and this is yet another attempt to smear her by the bums who keep trying to appropriate credit for the remarkable progress the UK has seen since her premiereship. This attempt shall fail, just as all the others have.

Let me be clear. If I was President, and they dared to touch Thatcher, to paraphrase Jason Bourne, I swear to God, if I had even the slightest piece of evidence that this happened, there is no measure to how fast and how hard I would bring this fight to their doorstep.

Overzealous Presidential Candidate

2005-10-03T13:01:00.000-04:00

Ladies and Gentleman,

Forget Hillary.

Forget Condi.

Forget Kerry.

Forget Frist.

CHRISTOPHER IN 2008

Overzealous Book Sales

2005-10-02T22:29:00.000-04:00

IT'S THAT TIME OF YEAR!!!!!!!!

This won't be the last time you hear about it, but it might be the first... the semi-annual Friends of the Library book sale is coming up. Kids, I'm not joshin with you. This is a serious book sale. Some of you know that I have a massive library at my residence, Starfleet Command, in Williamsburg Village. Most of the books have been bought at the FOL booksales over the past two years.

This is an amazing opportunity. They fill up this massive warehouse on Main Street with books of all kinds, sorted by type. History, science fiction, gardening, hobbies, magazines (all your favorites), psychology, political science, mathematics, physics, cooking, romance, biography, architecture, painting, and much much more.

Stripped from their website:

• Largest Book Sale of its kind in Florida - More than 300,000 books, records, games, CDs, DVDs, audio, video, paintings, posters, prints, puzzles and magazines have been donated for the sale!
• Hundreds of thousands of books and other items have been sorted and priced. The sale features books in more than 50 categories!
• A vast array of classical and modern fiction, textbooks, large-print books, first editions and rare books, cookbooks, hobby books, plus a wide variety of other classifications!
• Most prices range from $0.25 to $3.00
• Collectors' Corner featuring signed books, 1st editions, Florida collectibles
• Over 90% of items for sale were donated by the public (less than 10% from the library)
• Bring your own boxes !
• All profits are used for the Alachua County Library District and community literacy projects.

As many of you know, I worked for the Alachua County Lib. Dist. for some time and enjoyed it immensely. This is the best library system in the WORLD. They have NO LATE FEES on ANYTHING. Although they recently changed the amount of time you can loan media out (from 14 to 7 days), the real point is: they have all the latest videos AND THERE ARE NO LATE FEES.

This book sale is one of my favorite times of the year. Mark your calendars now!

Overzealous DESTRUCTION

2005-10-02T21:05:00.000-04:00

This just in! This just in! Hot off Matt Drudge's presses, we have this report that 'Commander-in-Chief' Donald Sutherland, who plays the villainous, evil Republican congressman on ABC's smash hit 'Commander-in-Chief' just declared:

BUSH WILL DESTROY OUR LIVES.

He says:

And they were insulting, and they were vindictive. And they were heartless. They did not care. They do not care. They do not care about Iraqi people. They do not care about the families of dead soldiers. They only care about profit. ... We stolen our children's future... We have children. We have children. How dare we take their legacy from them. How dare we. It's shameful. What we are doing to our world. ... We're back to burning books in Germany.

PRESIDENT BUSH: STOP THIS MADNESS. WE HAVE CHILDREN. WE HAVE ***CHILDREN***! STOP BURNING THE BOOKS AND CENSORING OUR WORDS, OUR SPEECH, OUR THOUGHTS!!!

GET OUT OF MY HEAAAAAAAAAAAAD!!!!!!!!!!!

And now, back to our regularly scheduled celebrity moments of genius.

Overzealous Reagan & Gator Notes

2005-10-02T16:56:00.000-04:00

No, loyal readers, I cannot answer as to why no one will post on this blog. But I shall try my best.

First: I'd like to give a shout out to RedLetterHistory, associate OP Matthew McCluskey, who now fights on for our overzealous causes at Harvard. His AIM profile contains this quote: I miss those eight years of pure GENIUS. Read the quotes and yearn for the glory days of a President who could sell a good idea. Unfortunately, we have a President who probably couldn't sell Will & Grace at this point, and we all know how ridiculously overrated that show is.

Second: I do like Urban Meyer. He's exactly the right coach for this program-- assuming that Steve Spurrier isn't available. Contrary to what some people will say, such as associate OP Marla DeVicente, Steve's chances of returning to UF were completely and utterly foreclosed by Bernie Machen and Jeremy Foley. Their administration degrades on a daily basis-- the decisions on 'binge drinking' and 'Kanye cartoon' come to mind.

Third: Steve Spurrier did better against Alabama than Urban Meyer did, and with far less talent, and infinitely less strength and speed. With his will alone, Spurrier scored two touchdowns against Shula's Tuscaloosa monstrosity-- which will now surely go to the National Championship game assuming we can't stop them in the SEC Championship... although the assumption is flawed and we can stop them there. This is the first time since 1992, I believe, that UF has not scored a touchdown in a game. Even Ron Zook could not accomplish this feat.

Fourth: I speak for all the OPers when I say that we resolutely stand behind Urban Meyer, but urge him to become more creative on offense and stretching the field. We don't know what we're going to do about Chris Leak yet, but our receivers are of the HIGHEST caliber-- truly spectacular athletes and people who I believe can carry us yet to great victory this year.

Overzealous Fireflies

2005-09-30T13:02:00.000-04:00

Last night, I beamed aboard the Firefly (no, not the tv series) caravan heading to Cedar Key. For those of you who don't know, it's about 45-50 mins West of Gainesville, straight shot on Archer. It's a small, but scenic place. Some have called it the "poor man's Key West." Perhaps apt-- some of the restaurants are very good though. In particular, I enjoy Seabreeze and recommend the Mariner's Feast. For the moment, a clash between Seabreeze, Hurricane Katrina, and insurance claims adjusters have the place shut down, but it'll be back and better than ever. Wonderful atmosphere and with a view of the sea that stretches as far as you can imagine.

The Fireflies class, led by the world's leading expert on them, Dr. James Lloyd, who I know as "Uncle Lloyd," went to a little known park and took in the scenery before scrounging around really sharp flora for firefly larvae.

This is where you can take your boats in... tide's out

A dock that stretches out for several dozen yards, sometimes into mud, sometimes into deep water

If you'd like to catch a firefly without going anywhere, get a penlight or make one (parts at radio shack), and mimic firefly mating flashes by watching their timing as they wait on the ground and keeping your thumb/finger over the light while you do it.

For more on the legendary James Lloyd, well, look him up on the UF directory and give him a call. For more on his life's work, you can get a good start here.

Overzealous Serenity

2005-09-28T15:29:00.000-04:00

[Editor's note: OP was invited to an advance screening of Serenity in the Fashion Square Mall's Premiere 14 in Orlando on 9/27. Serenity is a movie taking place in the same universe with the same characters as the short-lived Firefly series, which ran 11 episodes on FOX and went largely unnoticed until DVD sales surged, leading to a movie deal. PEOPLE NOT WANTING SPOILERS SHOULD ONLY READ THE SUMMARY SECTION.]

Summary

Believe.

This movie asks you to believe... in something. It doesn't matter what it is, but you have to believe in something.

I would never have believed you if you had told me before I watched Serenity that I would actually like the film. But I didn't just like it, I really liked it. Believe it. For personal enjoyment, this movie is easily four stars because it's a lot of fun and it keeps you involved. In the overall pretentious-movie-critic analysis, it might be three and a half stars, but then, I don't watch these types of movies to unravel the deep or superficial secrets of the universe or to tell me about humanity-- that's what Star Trek is for.

This is just good, clean, overzealous fun. Give it a chance.

Background

I am not the best person to tell you about the history you need in order to understand this film. That would be the person who sat next to me in the screening, whose interminable description of the movie's prequel television series (Firefly) left me wishing I had never gotten involved with OP. But I cannot give the movie its deserved praise without some background.

You've got the big Alliance, which isn't purely bad, not purely good, trying to exert control on other human worlds. The Alliance is clean, bright in the same way that the United Federation of Planets is, except that it has a very very dark underbelly. This is Joss Whedon's way of saying, "We like Star Trek, but it's an ideal, not reality. THIS is reality." Other human worlds rebel and LOSE. Some of those losers form a rag tag crew under Mal, who led 5000 troops into the Battle of Serenity Hill and was one of two survivors. Human civilization is mostly comprised of American and Chinese influences, although other things survive, like various religions.

Yup, this is a rag tag bunch of characters. If you want to know more, read this excellent review of the movie by a real fan.

Brief Plot Notes

***SPOILERS BEGIN SPOILERS***

The plot does revolve around the mystery of River-- a young gifted girl, perverted into a dreadful weapon, who is being tracked by the Alliance. Throughout our dalliance with River's thoughts, we find that the Alliance is dangerous in both its firepower and its covert infiltration through propaganda and education.

The Serenity has to go through many trials, notably with the Reavers. These demonic humans apparently rape people to death, eat people, skin people, and not necessarily in that order. In one scene, Mal has to shoot someone who was being captured by the Reavers. They're horribly disfigured and people with queasy stomachs may see them at night before they go to bed. I have read some other reviews of Serenity from fellow bloggers who attended the screening and I want to dispel the 'gore' notion-- there's not much gore at all and I think Whedon goes out of his way to not show bloody Braveheart style human limb destruction.

But we do get an epic space battle out of this between the Reavers and the Alliance. Yes, there's shaky camera work, but it's all the rage right now in the much-vaunted naturalistic science fiction. I don't think Whedon is arrogant in it, and it works for the tone of the material. It's not Star Trek, folks. Get used to it.

Throughout the movie, from beginning until end, we deal with death. Admiral Kirk once said that how we deal with death is at least as important as how we deal with life. Whedon, as massive a Trekker as he is, seems to be ill-suited to grapple with the question of death in this movie. With characters so important dying, though, I expected better of him. Then again, these deaths also were more senseless and in that way, more natural. Sometimes that's what life throws at you.

Fortunately, Whedon does far better with questions of life.

I'll follow up on this later.

The Operative

The Operative was superb. Whedon's stated purpose with the character was to have him be calm, cool, and incredibly creepy. His says of the actor, “Chiwetel managed to completely internalize The Operative and make him somebody very real. Decent, thoughtful and a mass murderer.” Throughout this movie, you can see a slow transformation for The Operative. The Operative starts out as someone who has never met his match and never met his moral equivalent. He coldly sneers, "What do you think is going to happen?" when he thinks he has but one more move before checkmate of our good Captain.

The Operative makes his move

And yet, you get the peculiar sense that this man is, for all his belief, still someone looking in from the outside. He often lectures, but he's too smart to be the braindead sort of patronizing lecturer. He responds to challenges, "Do you really believe that?"

Don't ever be fooled by Whedon's association with Warren Ellis-- he's very much in the market of creating characters with two sides to them. They are human, even The Operative, who is in a Warren Ellis character mold, but with the depth of a Whedon character. Ellis' superliberal diatribes lack depth or any semblance of complexity for they depict sheer charicatures of ideas and longing. They are so shrouded in the ethos of the social reject as powerful and special that they crowd out any potential brilliance. Ellis and Whedon are good friends, and I know Whedon admires Ellis' work, but it really should be the other way around... as The Operative proves.

Conclusion

In the end, the movie proved surprising in many respects. The characters had more depth, and more sides. They were not singly social rejects, nor singly courageous, nor singly anything. Although I might have issues with how they dealt with death, and these are not minor issues, they have to move on. If we want to see them deal, I suppose we can beg for a sequel.

The movie had some themes. One was the power of belief. Whedon, I think, tried his best to have some commentary, but it ended up seeming more mystical in the Matrix sense. In the Matrix sequels, the writers took themselves far too seriously and invented a set of circular neologisms that they probably thought were really clever. Serenity isn't that bad, not by a long shot, because they don't dwell on *belief* and *love* for very long, but they're kind of propped up... for what, we're never really sure. Contrary to what Whedon sloppily tried to throw in there, belief wasn't at all a component of Mal's actions in saving the day. It was more relevant for The Operative, but still... yeah. You'll see. And yes, River is obviously just a computer geek's fantasy writ large for all the Firefly rejects to see, but I don't think Whedon overdoes it.

River

In conclusion, I highly recommend the film though because it is entertaining, fun, and hilarious. You want to keep watching what comes next. You want to hear what all these characters have to say. The special effects are good. You won't see too many of them, but that's just as well since the strength of this film is its characters. The music works very well. On occasion, as you can see with The Operative pic I posted, there is a beautiful vista. The directing at times is weak, but the pacing seems good. Some of the one liners are weak, but I promise you, they are not as bad as they could have been. My brother, who is supposedly much cooler than I, and who initially claimed I had "burned" him by bringing him to the theater once he was the other people in the room, said he really liked the movie too!

So, having said how much I didn't want to like this movie at first, I think this is a universe we can come back to in order to see what happens next.

And I hope we do.

For more comprehensible analysis and round-up, click here.

Update: 1838 hours from IMDB:

In her review, Manohla Dargis in the New York Times compares Joss Whedon's Serenity with George Lucas's Star Wars: Episode III -- Revenge of the Sith. Serenity comes out ahead. "Scene for scene," she writes, "Serenity is more engaging and certainly better written and acted than any of Mr. Lucas's recent screen entertainments. Mr. Whedon isn't aiming to conquer the pop-culture universe with a branded mythology; he just wants us to hitch a ride to a galaxy far, far away and have a good time." Jan Stuart in Newsday makes a similar comparison, remarking: "George Lucas could learn a thing or two from Whedon. Serenity flies with sass and spirit, qualities that have been in palpably short supply in that Star Wars series since, well, Star Wars." Roger Ebert in the Chicago Sun-Times also indicates that he had a good time watching the movie, writing: "Serenity is made of dubious but energetic special effects, breathless velocity, much imagination, some sly verbal wit and a little political satire." Elizabeth Weitzman in the New York Daily News notes that the movie appears to exist as a the final episode of Whedon's canceled Firefly TV series and because the show's fans "made the Firefly DVD set an unexpected best seller." She adds: "Whedon's sci-fi fantasies smartly parallel the serious issues we're grappling with here on Earth, while his protagonists remain mordantly funny in the face of utter disaster. Like Star Trek before it, the outer-space setting is perfectly suited to a big budget" movie.

Top Ten Things That Will Overzealously Survive the Apocalypse

2005-09-28T14:43:00.000-04:00

10. Donald Trump's hair
9. the stryofoam container your McFish was in, in 1986
8. reality tv shows - they breed faster than an Irish Catholic Family (I don't think God would mind if you used a little birth control)
7. goddamn cockroaches (forget energy independence, lets have a Manhattan Project to kill all the roaches)
6. You remember that time you got drunk and your boyriend college made that tape of you in your dorm room...AND then it circulated on the internet for the next four years...yeah (I know 'cause I downloaded it)
5. The Jews (we are the chosen people...and we hold all the money...so god will protect us)
4. OJ's search for the real killer on the 18th hole
3. Joan River's face (she's a walking preservative!)
2. Michael Jackson (read #3)
1. William Shatner's career (he just keeps reinventing himself...and btw...this season of Boston Legal looks excellent)

Overzealous FSU Alum

2005-09-28T10:46:00.000-04:00

I have no words for this, except to say- he went to FSU

I just hope this was not addressed to Michael Jackson, whose dream is to look like this:

Overzealous Bedtime Reading

2005-09-28T02:10:00.000-04:00

For those loyal readers with children, I cannot encourage you to buy any book more than this one. Help! Mom! There are Liberals Under My Bed! by Katharine DeBrecht gets rave reviews from me. It will teach your kids, and maybe even you, a little something about how the world works.

It's something like this: conservatives build, liberals destroy. Simple, easy, FUN! At the low bargain price of $15.95, you can do your part to make the children the future. I'd like to thank associate OP Matthew Klein for this one.

Overzealous Preview, part II

2005-09-27T02:05:00.000-04:00

Please, my friends, please...

I have fresh new editions of my Byzantium and MacArthur serials en route. You won't want to miss them. Overzealous Byzantium, parts III through VI: Middle Empire Art, Early Empire Art, Grand Strategy, and From There to Here. And who knows where we'll go from there! Well, we could go to MacArthur! Overzealous MacArthur, parts III through VIII: World War I, Between Wars, World War II: Philippines & New Guinea, Japan, Korea, and An Old Soldier, Ever Anew.

I will take suggestions for other epic, unreadable ramblings as well. But in the immediate future, expect postings on:

1. Dolphins-- culture, language, prospects as a key to the future
2. The Space Shuttle-- the engines, the disasters, the hope
3. Boston Legal
4. Serenity review

My sources tell me that there are pending top ten lists, such as "top 10 most intelligent people." Also, please welcome MisterGreens to OP as a contributor. He's far more successful than any other OP ever will be. Of course, is he an expert in dolphin communication?

NO.

Overzealous Canadian Singer

2005-09-25T21:37:00.000-04:00

The executives at CNN are apparently trying to increase Larry King's sagging ratings (and yes, he still has a show) by inviting as many insane celebrities as possible on as guests. On the heels of Sean Penn comes Ms. Celine Dion. Now, for those of you who didn't know, after Celine did that annoying Titanic song she had a baby, tried to poison her husband with the cancer, and got her very own Vegas show.

Celine also apparently started to develop opinions about things...such as letting the people in New Orleans "Touch those things." The clip also shows CNN's new attempt to catch up to Fox News (Real News, Fair and Balanced) by having Larry King encourage his guests to break into song and by bestowing undeserved praise on them. For example, calling them troopers because they do their job after babbling incoherently on talk shows...wow what a trooper Celine is. Nonetheless, she should be applauded for giving "1 million dollar" but if that means we have to listen to her talk, then I say take your money back you dirty French Canadian.

Overzealous SOUR GRAPES

2005-09-25T20:53:00.000-04:00

Jimmy "I never met a dictator I didn't like" Carter still believes that Al Gore won the 2000 election. In other news, my 6 year-old cousin Laura still believes in Santa Claus. Coincidence? Hardly.

Carter notes how the country "failed abysmally" in the 2000 election and claims that "there is no doubt in [his] mind that Al Gore was elected President." He must have forgotten (senility will do that to a man) that the USA utilizes the Electoral College. The founding fathers of this nation set up the Electoral College for one reason, and one reason only: to keep the GOP in office in case the Democrats win the popular vote. It's PURE GENIUS.

Does anyone else find it ironic that Carter's own concoction to measure the nation's economic well-being, the Misery Index, rose 50% in his four years as President?

Stagflation is a bitch, Mr. Carter. So is Al Gore. You two were meant for each other.

Overzealous GLOBAL WARMING

2005-09-25T18:00:00.000-04:00

OH MY GOD!!!!!!!! GET TO THE GROCERY STORES NOW AND GET WATER, GET CANNED FOODS, ***ANYTHING*** BEFORE IT GETS SPOILED!!!! AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

SHIT. What are we going to do?

Overzealous SERENITY Screening

2005-09-25T17:30:00.000-04:00

As you know, Overzealous Prosecutors (OP) is taking people's IM lists by storm. Well, people were talking and Universal Pictures just had to have OP at an Orlando screening for critics of the new movie SERENITY. So this Tuesday, me and someone else will attend it.

Serenity's commercials are currently airing, but if you'd like more information, visit the movie's website, which has the trailer and production notes.

Here is the film's synopsis:

Joss Whedon, the Oscar® - and Emmy - nominated writer/director responsible for the worldwide television phenomena of BUFFY THE VAMPIRE, ANGEL and FIREFLY, now applies his trademark compassion and wit to a small band of galactic outcasts 500 years in the future in his feature film directorial debut, Serenity. The film centers around Captain Malcolm Reynolds, a hardened veteran (on the losing side) of a galactic civil war, who now ekes out a living pulling off small crimes and transport-for-hire aboard his ship, Serenity. He leads a small, eclectic crew who are the closest thing he has left to family –squabbling, insubordinate and undyingly loyal.

Now, you know me, I'm no sci-fi freak, just a Trek Nazi, so you will get a fair and balanced review from me. And the readership wants a review of this movie so that's what they're gonna get. Special shout out to associate OP Hunter Williams on the venture.

Overzealous Friday Television

2005-09-24T01:47:00.000-04:00

AMAZING.

AMAZING.

First, the Battlestar Galactica (BSG) mid-season finale aired tonight. Pushing the envelope as always, Ron Moore's "naturalistic science fiction" (just another phrase for trendy science fiction that tries to be like Star Trek, which, of course, Moore wrote for many many many years) dealt with the treatment of prisoners and the boundaries of law and order in a military at war. This is the best show currently on television.

AND IF YOU DON'T BELIEVE ME, GO WATCH THE SEASON 1 FINALE WHICH IS AVAILABLE ON THE SCIFI.COM WEBSITE!!!!!! If you listen to just one thing from me, don't listen to my politics, listen to this plea: BSG is worth your time! Watch this finale from last year!

Now, for this week's episode, I find myself agreeing with almost everything that Commander Adama has ever done on the show. I am dismayed thus far in the portrayal of Admiral Cain, played by ST:TNG's Lieutenant Ro (no, nitpickers, she was a Lieutenant by the time of her 7th season cameo), who was originally played by Lloyd Bridges as Commander Cain. Cain was a legendary war hero but this Cain appears to be one of the worst commanders in the history of all armed forces. This is another of Ron Moore's weaknesses: he gets really really cocky in his writings, thinking he has the right to take liberty with things that are greater for him. Turn no further than Star Trek Generations and Captain Kirk's alleged "death."

Anyway, I'm holding my breath about the future episode where a doctor saves President Roslin from her cancer by using embryonic stem cells. I'll probably shoot myself, but on to better topics:

G V B!!!!!

Girls versus Boys is the hottest show on the Noggin network and it's taking this country by storm. This season they're in Puerto Rico. There is no match for the conniving that these reality television stars employ. They are willing to go out with each other for the gain of "points," mock their partners in front of the whole group mercilessly as they cry, and then laugh about it and high five later on. They are high schoolers. In any case, if you want to see how low, or high television entertainment has gone, check your local listings for GvB.

Overzealous Entertainers

2005-09-23T12:25:00.000-04:00

During the summer semester, many of the folks were upset by the rigged competition on ABC's Dancing with the Stars. Some no-name, overaged actress (Kelly Monaco, I think) just made her last outfits tighter than ever, put a little extra make-up on, and SHIZAM!! She beat the pure favorite and dance master himself, John O'Hurley, best known for playing the legendary character J. Peterman on Seinfeld. J. Peterman ranks up there with Khan N. Singh, Q, and Edith Keeler as the most memorable television guest starring personalities.

After a rematch of epic proportions ("Ali vs. Frazier" said mega-host Tom Bergeron) John O'Hurley has finally received his due. Thank you.

Overzealous Skip???

2005-09-23T00:20:00.000-04:00

Sources tell OP that Skip Moedinger has finally lost it. Apparently in his never ending failing quest to get elected to the UCF student senate (Can you say Grapski?) Skip has lost it and has turned to violence. Basically for those who don't know, Skip had the longest facebook profile in history...which should remind everyone to be wary of those who talk about themselves that much on the facebook.

Anyways read here about how Skip snapped and pushed a student Senator at U Cant Fail and followed that up by sending him threatening messages on the facebook.

use this email to log in: bugmenot@bugmenot.com

Also, I'd like to bring attention to this column featuring my close friend Anup Patel. The only problem with the story is that I'm not mentioned. As some of you may know I'm on the National Board for Cents of Relief and its a worthwhile organization to contribute your time, talent, and treasure to. Oh, and for those of you wondering,- Yes, I will now refer to Dikembe as my good friend...I'm thisclose to saying the same about Jordan.

Overzealous Social Security

2005-09-22T22:36:00.000-04:00

Tom Jardon owns. Period.

I feel like slaughtering people on government payrolls RIGHT NOW.

Overzealous Bobby Fischer

2005-09-22T12:59:00.000-04:00

So I was thinking about my away message, which I took from Searching for Bobby Fischer some five years ago, and decided to look up what happened to Bobby Fischer. Last I had heard he was in Japan about to be extradited to the United States.

Charles Krauthammer did a column on him. Apparently he's in Iceland. Perhaps this is the completion we were warned about by Han Qing-jao. I hope so. Here's more:

Bobby Fischer is back in Iceland, and that is as it should be. Fischer put Iceland on the map for the first time since the Vikings happened by. And Iceland put Fischer on the map, providing the venue for his greatest triumph, the 1972 world chess championship. That was before he fell off a psychic cliff

Another interesting note is that OP's good friend Natan Sharansky, who autographed two books for yours truly recently, played Kasparov to a draw. Wow. I guess when you've got time on your hands in those gulags...

Overzealous D-Ring, part II

2005-09-21T16:15:00.000-04:00

NEWSFLASH:

Hot off Matt Drudge's presses from NASA and into your home, OP is reporting that there is CLIMATE CHANGE AFOOT ON ***MARS***.

Recently OP brought you a semi-exclusive look at how President Bush's gross negligence has led to the deterioration of Saturn's D-ring. Now we have a story that hits much MUCH closer to home:

Two gullies appear in an April 2005 image of a sand-dune slope where they did not exist in July 2002. The Mars Orbiter Camera team has found many sites on Mars with fresh-looking gullies, and checked back at more than 100 gullied sites for possible changes between imaging dates, but this is the first such find. Some gullies, on slopes of large sand dunes, might have formed when frozen carbon dioxide, trapped by windblown sand during winter, vaporized rapidly in spring, releasing gas that made the sand flow as a gully-carving fluid

Loyal readers, I wish that I could tell you that Bush's hurricanes will stop. I wish I could tell you all that we will someday never live under the perpetual threat of extinction because of global warming. I wish I could tell you most of all that the Mars innocent surface would not be plagued by our malfeasance and dereliction of duties. But I can't. I really see no end. Unless...

MR. PRESIDENT: carbon dioxide is not just killing all life on Earth, it is destroying the natural splendor of our neighboring planet, Mars, which as we know is a prime candidate for terraforming in the immediate future. I may want to live on Mars, someday, Mr. President-- and I certainly want my children and grandchildren too.

STOP the negligence. STOP the carbon dioxide. NOW.

Overzealous Chinese Procreation

2005-09-20T23:06:00.000-04:00

Maybe this will get you to comment.

"A rubber company in China has begun marketing condoms under the brand names Clinton and Lewinsky, apparently seeking to exploit the White House affair that led to the impeachment of America's 42nd president."

Any couples out there feeling like getting impeached tonight?

Overzealous Canseco

2005-09-20T13:40:00.000-04:00

OP has learned that baseball legend Jose Canseco, a friend and inspiration of some of us overzealous prosecutors, is in negotiations to appear on Wrestlemania. Canseco's career has never been hotter, Sean Penn is jealous.

Overzealous Patriots

2005-09-20T00:22:00.000-04:00

Compliments of Disco, I am making the following amazing stories available to you.

The St. Petersburg Times has a wonderful picture showing the patriotism of good hearted American citizens (read: Republicans) in Inverness. Disco hails from Inverness of course, so this must be a source of some pride. This picture of Main Street USA makes me want to march into Iran.

We support our Republicans in Inverness, but we also support them in Gainesville. The latest from reliable sources indicates that good friend of Overzealous Prosecutors, Tommy Jardon, is moving up fast in College Republican power rankings as well as in overall movers and shakers in the political community of Florida. Click here for the latest fair and balanced analysis.

Overzealous Third Age of SOS

2005-09-19T21:55:00.000-04:00

As you all know, we are in the Third Age of SOS, a time when all things are possible and nothing seems out of reach. For those who believe that daring air attacks under the hand of one Blake Mitchell are possible, then all the glory of the world awaits.

To make my point that the world has changed, indeed, has turned many times over since the end of the Second Age, witness the blossoming of wonderful new television shows. The O.C. returns from a lackluster second season to prominence. Arrested Development continues its dominance as funniest show on television. Battlestar Galactica rises as the best show on television, and Boston Legal, of course, the most thoroughly enjoyable.

William Shatner, for instance, is an unbeatable awards show JUGGERNAUT now. He won in last year's Emmy Awards for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama for portraying Denny Crane, a brilliant and misunderstood man who is either playing us all for fools or is losing his abilities or some combination of the two. He must command at Crane, Poole & Schmidt but experience a steady erosion in his actual power. His breathtaking performances enamored people so much that he won the Golden Globe for Outstanding Supporting Actor in Drama and last night won the highest honor that can be bestowed on any single man in television-- the Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama. No man more richly deserves these accolades. He has gone where no man has gone before and thankfully come back to us to entertain us these many years later.

Some of you may not be aware that the horses he breeds are world champions and that he often competes, completely dominating 20-yr olds in sophisticated horse riding tournaments. He is 74 years old, believe it or not. He looks a crisp 35, but no, that's how old he was when he began his Star Trek.

In the Third Age of SOS, the Florida Gators resume their ascendance as the preeminent football program in the land. With Urban Meyer, the Gators have found more grit and more poise than they may have ever had. Urban is teaching them to be classy and tough. It is true, of course, that with the same talent, Steve would have annihilated Tennessee on Saturday at least 41-7, but we trust that Urban will learn and even if he can't teach his QBs timing, he can recruit talent to make up for some of that.

The Independent Florida Alligator also completely switched sides on the PC-debate. It only did so because it is stubborn and believes itself above the fray (how, after all, could The Alligator have done something wrong?! oh... and maybe because the ed. board is different...)-- but its defense of the cartoon was a positive development, as was Marlette's temerariousness in sending it in. Actually, I think that's the most impressive thing about the "debate." I could scarcely believe it when I saw it. I asked others if they were interpreting it the same way I was. I loved how they pointed out the rank hypocrisy of so many and exposed that idiot on thefacebook in particular.

Of course, the worst part of this has been "President" Bernie Machen's response to it. This political opportunist has come on the side of CLOSING free speech and debate on campus in the name of "sensitivity." Unfortunately, his job is to help keep the university free and open for dialogue. The man is already indirectly encouraging more people to binge drink and destroy themselves at home (the man should take an economics class, a humanities class, and maybe just redo his general education altogether). Did he really have to write that asinine letter into The Alligator?

The President makes several assertions of insensitivity, flippancy and irresponsibility-- just without explaining how any of these things occurred in the cartoon. No, the President won't raise himself to a discussion of the issue-- instead, he will just decry it for his political handlers and glibly move on. This President is bringing down the quality of the university and I fear we will have to deal with his mistakes for a long time. He will be one of the enemies in this Third Age, although I have hope yet that he can be a partner.

Indeed, all things are possible in the Third Age of SOS. (Tactical nukes, anyone?)

Overzealous Emmy Awards

2005-09-18T18:09:00.000-04:00

WILLIAM SHATNER PERFORMS TONIGHT.

Get excited! As part of Emmy Idol, the ubiquitous William Shatner will lend his considerable vocal talent to the Star Trek theme song. I am not sure whether he will just do his Captain's lines ("Space... the final frontier... these are the voyages... ... to boldly go where no man has gone before!") or whether he'll do the lyrics Gene Roddenberry wrote for the actual theme song:

Beyond the rim of the starlight
My love is wandering in starflight
I know he'll find in star clustered reaches
Love, strange love a star woman teaches
I know his journey ends never
His star trek will go on forever
But tell him while he wanders his starry sea
Remember, remember me.

Perhaps he'll do both. To celebrate the occasion, the L.A. Times has a wonderful article (reg req'd I think) on Bill with candid remarks by Candice Bergen, James Spader, and David E. Kelley. You will get a great sense of the man.

So let's cross our fingers he gets that well-deserved Emmy Award for Best Supporting Actor on Boston Legal, an underrated and underappreciated show.

Overzealous Afghanistan Elections

2005-09-18T12:07:00.000-04:00

I'm not exactly sure what biggers news is currently out there, except perhaps the finger pointing of Hurricane Katrina, but Afghanistan recently had their first parliamentary elections in 30 years. People braved an insurgent campaign of Taliban miscreants to vote, as they did in the last historic elections, and proved that democracy can really take root in this country if we can give them the security and time to institutionalize and legitimize it.

The Miami Herald's AP report (reg. req'd) includes this:

Some 12.4 million Afghans were registered to vote for the 249-seat lower house of parliament, or Wolesi Jirga, and 420 seats on 34 provincial assemblies. Nearly 5,800 candidates - including 582 women - were on the ballots.

A quarter of the seats being voted on were reserved for women, who make up more than 42 percent of registered voters.

The more than 6,000 polling stations were guarded by about 100,000 Afghan police and soldiers and 30,000 foreign troops in the U.S.-led coalition and a separate NATO peacekeeping force.

Enthusiasm ran high.

"Today is a magnificent day for Afghanistan," said Ali Safar, 62, standing in line to vote in Kabul. "We want dignity, we want stability and peace.

Ironically, I first found the news buried on the BBC webpage. And I mean buried. I think we need to give the Afghanis some credit here. I like what I'm seeing here, mostly because of two things:

1. I rarely hear anything about Afghanistan these days. Since the liberal media is quite effective in trying to find chinks in the President's armor, especially where wars are concerned, our fight there must be working. These millions are far closer to the promised liberation than the Iraqis are, but they will, of course, end up in the same place.

2. When the media does report on Afghanistan, it's almost always positive and BURIED in their papers and websites. Some people actually don't think there's an overall liberal bias in the media, but if they'd just bother to check the location of pages... it may have something to do, also, with a bias toward violence, catchy stuff, whatever, but there's no denying the severe bias which has only grown worse while Bush has been in office when you consider things like this story.

And I'm sick of it. This is an amazing story that we should be cheering regardless of party registration.

Hopefully we can cheer a similarly important step towards freedom with the historic election of Angela Merkel in Germany later today.

Overzealous Towing Attendants

2005-09-17T03:21:00.000-04:00

I just found it amusing that the dude taking my $80 was wearing a Dale Earnhardt cap. Surely Disco can find some humor in this, perhaps tag it into his previous post about NASCAR not being a sport. Good times.

Easy come, easy go.

Overzealous Renaissance Man

2005-09-15T23:25:00.000-04:00

Ladies and Gentlemen, I would like to reintroduce you to Gainesville's biggest celebrity- Mr. James Bates.

Many of you know James Bates as North Central Florida's premier spokesman and championship winning t-ball coach but he is oh so much more.

James Bates was a Captain and an All-conference Linebacker on the 1996 Florida Gators National Championship Team. He briefly played in the NFL, but his career was cut short because of injury. After his football career ended, Bates became a noted thespian appearing in both film and television. Soon after Bates moved behind the camera as well, creating B8sy productions for which he serves as President. Bates began to host and produce a local television program called In The House, which eventually spawned the James Bates Show. Recently the James Bates Show went national, and can be seen anywhere on CSTV, check your local listings for that channel's availability.

Bates' empire, however extends far beyond media. Bates is a budding real estate mogul locally. His most notable purchase was a house on 20th Street (across from the stadium) previously owned by Rex Grossman and family. Sources tell OP that Bates fought the temptation and kept the rent at a very reasonable rate.

Recently Bates renaissance sensibility struck again. James Bates became an artist. His paintings are owned by many prominent Gainesville residents. One day we hope to have one in the OP compound since we fully expect a painting of his to be hanging in the Louvre.

And then there is the oft-noted charity work James involves himself with on a regular basis. As Gainesville Today noted, "He is very active in fundraising for the Boys and Girls Club of Alachua County, The SIDS Foundation, and the Children's Miracle Network just to mention a few." Here is a picture of him helping out, having fun, and making a difference.

We all know the former football player who hangs around their old school contributing nothing. James Bates does not fit into that category for he has enriched the lives of all Floridians and inspired millions to strive to be what he is- a modern day renaissance man.

Overzealous Roosevelt-esque Socialist

2005-09-15T23:17:00.000-04:00

Things have been said by overzealous prosecutors attacking my views on respecting Franklin Roosevelt (despite his ineptitude) and not respecting Douglas MacArthur. Some believe that Roosevelt established a socialized society in the United States, some believe that MacArthur was a brave, conservative war hero. Without supporting Roosevelt, I will set those OPs straight, citing certain interesting truths.

After the Allied powers celebrated V-J day, General Douglas MacArthur became the head of the Supreme Commander of the Allied Powers (SCAP) Occupation Force. This occupation sought to rebuild the urban areas (each of Japan's three biggest cities lost over 60% of residential housing, then there was Hiroshima and Nagasaki) and to demystify the emperor in an attempt to stregthen the government. One of the most positive things accomplished by SCAP Occupation was the formation of a constitution.

After MacArthur completed some successful political work (meaning he westernized their culture, whether or not you think that is successful), the next question was the economy. Japanese zaibatsu controlled the urban-industrial sector. These were large manufacturing monopolies. MacArthur made it a goal to eliminate these industries, or in some cases reduce their economic power. He purged management and ownership from their managerial positions, then purged zaibatsu families from their positions of economic leadership. His next goal was establishment of labor unions. A vigorous union movement was encouraged and developed. These unions provided economic demands from the new economic leaders, and, much like all unions, became political groups. They were not like American labor unions, who simply contribute money to political campaigns, they developed the Socialist and Communist parties and brought them to prominence with strong labor arms. As the unions gained power, they used the clause written by MacArthur in SCAP's constitution: the right of workers to bargain and act collectively. This was stretched to mean the right to strike. None of the unions favored American-style competition, and fought against it (as well as for land reform) in a massive planned strike in February 1947. The power of the unions and the left wing did not have any restitution until 1952, when "communists were purged" by the Japanese government. (Those who were in government or economic leadership roles were mostly sent to jail, house arrest, or exiled)

MacArthur really pulled a Roosevelt on that one.

Overzealous UN connection

2005-09-15T23:04:00.000-04:00

All of us at OP would like to extend a congratulations to the UF athletes who appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated on Campus as shown below.

However, OP has learned from very inside sources that Sports Illustrated, a Time Warner Company who's largest individual shareholder is Ted Turner...the man who helps fund the UN LIED to UF's Student-Athletes!!!

The photographer told everyone that they would all appear on the cover, when in fact our source tells us, 6 rows were cut out!! This is a microcosm of the lying culture that permeates the United Nations, an organization that only exists to hurt the great United States Of America. Shocking....

Overzealous Random Notes

2005-09-15T18:49:00.000-04:00

First, my MacArthur / Korea post will be reappearing during some lull in posting at OP in the future, but it is too long and improperly keeps people from viewing Red Hat's link on Chinese "grafts."

Second, it's a shame that the Council on American-Islamic Relations undercut their own campaigns about truth and perception by posting an obviously doctored photograph to their website to add some "missing" hijabs. I'm real disappointed.

Third, our links section will be back later tonight. KMac keeps making overzealous changes to the pages without preserving the sidebar info. But when they do come back, they will have a new blog amongst their ranks...

The Superficial. If you aren't reading this blog yet, you better hop on board. The comments on Jessica Alba, Mischa Barton, and Elijah Wood (don't even get me started on this picture, which had about three of us crying laughing in class today... he's just so *earnest* -- do you think he's mentally retarded?)

I think this is basically the kind of blog Disco had in mind when he started OP. LOL.

Overzealous Korean Brainwashing

2005-09-15T12:20:00.000-04:00

For part II of OP's overzealous account of East Asia, I refer, of course, to today's youth who have been completely brainwashed in their understanding of the Korean peninsula and General Douglas MacArthur. My post will not be nearly as interesting or disturbing as Red Hat's on China though.

Recently, the naive, rebellious, desperate-for-identity South Korean left has taken out its existentialist angst on the MacArthur statue at Inchon. People who understand the realities of the Korean war, Korean life, geostrategical issues, and the role MacArthur played, have rightfully counterprotested these kids. Many of them are veterans of the Korean War who have actually done something with their lives. Riot police have been called in to stem the tensions between these two groups, although it is not clear whether they will safeguard the statue anymore, since the Korean government is completely and utterly willing to capitulate to North Korean whims-- in other words, they are the ne plus ultra of appeasers in the world besides France.

So let me take a moment to explain the difference between the two types of people in this conflict, as best I can see it (I freely admit that I'm an armchair General here, but to me, the fact that this is all so obvious makes it all the more heinous and disgusting).

Picture 1: The forces assemble, reigniting MacArthur's memory

On the one side, you have the people with actual knowledge of life, have years of experience, who fought in the war and understand the nature of communist (North Korean) aggression, and on the other side you have a bunch of kids who think that risk is having sex, doing drugs, and all the easiest things anyone could ever do in the world that, of course, do not build identity or character and, if anything, destroy them. You will find no requiems for so-called "gonzo journalism" at OP. Real risk involves serving your country, putting your life on the line for something you believe in, or going into debt to start a business. A lot of people have done this, too, but fewer than the easy things. It's harder to go outside and make a life for yourself than to stay in a den and engage in less-than-godly behavior. It's obvious, so I trust I needn't say anymore.

Therefore what we have here is a battle between the forces of good and evil. Humans, of course, simultaneously encompass both things in paradox, but they can be made to serve these causes.

At Incheon, General Douglas MacArthur changed the course of Korean history. He had the hopes of free peoples riding on his shoulders, that he could complete his job of undoing Japanese damage by reuniting the peninsula under a flag of opportunity and possibility, so that the Korean nation might be as it once was. That's why the statue in question resides there. Victory at High Tide, an extraordinary book, details the battle. As Manchester's American Caesar says,

Casualty reports were still coming in, but the battle was already won, and won spectacularly. The final reckoning would show that at Incheon MacArthur had defeated between 30,000 and 40,000 In Min Gun defenders at a cost of 256 dead, 2,550 wounded, and 65 missing. Halsey called it "the most masterly and audacious strategic course in all history." Heinl [ed: who wrote Victory at High Tide] wrote: "At Inchon, MacArthur was bold, judicious, assured, and unwavering. Those who doubted his judgment-- the lesser men who wanted to play things safe-- exemplified the reverse." p. 380

Picture 2: MacArthur lands at Incheon

William Manchester, who wrote American Caesar, was an unabashed admirer of the General, so we might forgive him his occasional hagiography. The biography is nevertheless thorough and brilliant. I will return to it, but I want to compare his relatively short account of the accolades of MacArthur's achievement with Geoffrey Perret's account in Old Soldiers Never Die, because Perret is scrupulous in his balanced approach throughout:

MacArthur had to get closer to the action. He insisted on going to Wolmi-do [during the battle]. Shells fell around the boat that carried him there, but he wanted to move even closer to the beach, where mortar and machine gun fire indicated a firefight in progress. Shepherd was alarmed and tried to get the admiral commanding the landing force to order the boat to come back, but the admiral declined. To Shepherd, nothing could be more calamitous than to have the theater commander killed by enemy fire. Years later he was still asking people, "Don't you think I was right?" They invariably said yes, but the correct answer was no.

In the life of every great commander there is one battle that stands out above all the rest, the supreme test of generalship that places him among the other military immortals. For MacArthur that battle was Inchon. The landing produced all the results he promised.... The most fitting conclusion to MacArthur's life would have been to die a soldier's death in the waters off Inchon at the height of his glory.... p.548

What neither of these authors points out, either with words or figures, is that this is the day Korea was saved. It is absolutely the day that reversed North Korea's fortunes, turned the tide against communism, and allowed for South Korea to expand beyond its paltry holdings on the Pusan perimeter. More importantly, it preserved the idea that Korea might again be reunified as its people so desired.

The graphic below shows how intrepid the Incheon pincer movement really was. Examine the difference between a South Korea preserved by the Pusan perimter and MacArthur's South Korea, which retook Seoul and saved that for the future.

Figure 1: Korean War movements

In August of 1948, General MacArthur said this in Seoul:

August 1948:

Yet in this hour, as the forces of righteousness advance, the triumph is dulled by one of the great tragedies of contemporary history—an artificial barrier has divided your land. This barrier must and will be torn down! Nothing shall prevent the ultimate unity of your people as free men of a free nation. Koreans come from too proud a stock to sacrifice their sacred cause by yielding to any alien philosophies of disruption.

As early as the year 1882… it was proclaimed that there should be “perpetual peace and friendship between the United States and Korea.” The American people have never deviated from this pledge and you may rely upon the invincible continuance of that friendship.

President Rhee, you and the distinguished group which has been chosen to assist you in the leadership of this infant republic will face issues of the most complex nature known to political experience. The manner in which those issues are resolved will determine in large measure not only the unity and wellbeing of our own people but also the future stability of the continent of Asia. I have faith in you… and pray that Almighty God may sustain you in your hallowed task.

MacArthur was not only Korea's best friend, but he was a visionary as to its role in the course of history. Had we listened to him, China would not brutally repress its people and their expression, and the scourge of the earth that is North Korea would not exist, the people long ago being unified.

Picture 3: MacArthur is welcomed in South Korea

Did MacArthur not have his flaws? If people have flaws, then the answer is "yes." As Manchester writes,

In the Attice tragedies of Aeschylus, Euripides, and Sophocles, the hero is a figure of massive integrity and powerful will, a paradox of outer poise and inner passion who recognizes the inevitability of evil, despair, suffering, and loss. Choosing a perilous course of action despite the counsel of the Greek chorus, he struggles nobly but vainly against fate, enduring cruelty and, ultimately, defeat, his downfall being revealed as the consequence of a fatal defect in his character which, deepened by tumultuous events, eventually shatters him.

So it was with Douglas MacArthur. Brave, brilliant, and majestic, he was a colossus bestriding Korea until the nemesis of his hubris overtook him. He simply could not bear to end his career in checkmate. It would, in his view, be a betrayal of his mission, an acknowledgement that MacArthur was imperfect. Politics had always been his Eve, a lure and a threat, fascinating but ill-boding. p.616

And Perret:

The general was the quintessential twentieth-century incarnation of the tragic hero as immortalized by great playwrights down the ages. MacArthur’s complex nature and dramatic life made him the living breathing brother of Coriolanus, Hamlet or Macbeth. Like the tragic heroes of the theater, he would finally be brought down not by his enemies but by an immutable fault line that ran through the bedrock of his character. When the SCAP got airborne from this remote coral island, MacArthur was set on a direct course to the ultimate destination of all tragic heroes: the spectacular, irreversible fall. p.558

That's why the young Leftists and Tyrant-sympathizers in North Korea should not be so quick to destroy the idea of MacArthur. The idea is complex and not one-sided. And yet, one thing cannot be argued: he made it possible for them to live today, and for all those subversive elements to have a chance to have families, travel, eat good food, and not rely on grass to eat and get stomach ulcers like millions of North Koreans likely do.

These people who sympathize and work to help or support North Korea in any way are condoning the murder of innocent people. That's what you do. That's what you do when you think it's a good idea to merge the Korean olympic teams. Incidentally, North Korea won 5 medals in 2004: 4 silver and 1 bronze. No one's sure how they did that. South Korea won 30, to rank 9th at the total games, with 9 gold, 12 silver, 9 bronze. Who does this Olympic move even help?

This is the mindset of the leftists both in S. Korea and, regrettably, here in the United States as well. It's no surprise that people want to be high-minded and think themselves above the status quo-- what's a shame, however, is that they don't realize they are apart of the murderous and evil status quo.

As Professor Kang Kyu-hyung writes,

Korea is now unexpectedly engulfed in a MacArthur dispute. Some propose that Incheon International Airport be rechristened MacArthur Airport, while others wage a campaign denigrating the general. Some organizations held a rally in Incheon’s Freedom Park on Saturday, calling for the end to “60 years of U.S. military occupation.” They attempted to topple the MacArthur statue by force, asserting that he was a warmonger and the ringleader in Korea's division and massacres of civilians. But that, too, is sadly not a realistic evaluation of the general.

MacArthur not only contributed more than anyone to defeating imperial Japan through his achievements in the Pacific War but also cemented the foundation from which Japan was able to develop as a democratic country. In the Korean War, he successively executed the Incheon Landing.

The essence of the drive to tear down the MacArthur statue lies elsewhere. It is anti-Americanism and pro-North Korean sentiment that attach supreme importance to the country's unification. This notion, which sprouted in the 1980s and gained force recently, says that the Korean War was a national unification war that would have ended swiftly without prodigious bloodshed but for U.S. intervention. Our perspective of MacArthur and the United States has become distorted. It is either pro- or anti-American.

The French writer Frederic Beigbeder says in his novel "Windows on the World" that contained in anti-Americanism is some jealousy and disillusioned love. Doesn't our anti-Americanism, too, contain the anger that arises from unrequited love? It cannot be denied that in our attitude toward the U.S., either for or against, we only spout sentiments, without a cool-headed analysis of America.

When we fail to understand MacArthur, who was a complex man, and the U.S., a country of many facets, we experience the symptoms of extreme jealousy or hatred. One such symptom is a violent attempt to erase the group experience and collective memory of MacArthur and the U.S. presence, without leaving a space where reasonable thoughts can be exchanged.

A wonderful discussion in the same publication with an archivist at the splendid MacArthur Memorial can be found here. One short exchange:

What is wrong with claims that the U.S. sparked or caused the Korean War?

That debate is already finished among historians. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, many supporting materials came to light. It's an unshakable fact that Kim Il-sung invaded South Korea with the support of Mao Zedong. It's hard to understand why this Bruce Cumings-style revisionist history [after a University of Chicago historian who first proposed the theory] about the origins of the Korean War is still accepted in South Korea.

So is it MacArthur and the United States who these people should be blaming or the people they support and give money to? Read a book, ANY book.

Here are some more pictures of the statue, which overlooks a wonderful expanse, that these idiots want to topple.

Only when we understand both sides of the issue, and in so doing confront reality, can we have once more, as Prime Minister Yoshida put it about Japan's relationship with MacArthur and the US, "an understanding [that] grew up between the two peoples which is remarkable in the history of the modern world."

Other links:
Memory of Gen. MacArthur exposes divide in South Korea
U.S. refuses N. Korean nuclear reactor demand
Roh says Korea-U.S. alliance getting better
Cockeyed nationalism [highly recommended]
Progressives rail against General MacArthur