Bernie Sanders and the "Autobahn Defense"

 For the last twenty years the state of Florida has proven decisive in Presidential politics. If you want the job you must win Florida. Bernie Sanders wants a revolution in America and he needs to win a state where revolution is a dog whistle for Communism.
Some have expressed alarm at his defense of the Castro Regime. Sanders has repeatedly stated his opposition to authoritarianism  but it rings hollow.
Sanders' praise of Castro's literacy program is a variation on what I call the "Autobahn Defense". It goes like this: "Gee, that Hitler sure was terrible, but hey, at least he built the Autobahn".
Cuban literacy is an exhaustive education rooted in the works of Marx, Engels and Lenin, an unforgiving ideology which denies individual liberty and the rights of man. The Castro definition of literacy is rigid conformity to the state. Literacy has no value if you cannot speak or express yourself freely, if you cannot criticize the source of your education.
Bernie Sanders is engaging in moral relativism. Literacy empowers the individual and Cuba requires its submission and in so requiring it is by no means admirable or worthy of praise. Failure to recognize this disqualifies one from serving as leader of the free world.

NFL PICKS WEEK NINE 2016

Before I get to the picks I'd like to rant. This is the worst season of football I can recall. The games have been a bore. Prime time games have been the worst. It has been so bad I forgot to get a pick for last Thursday's game. I'm winless in Fantasy Football. My watering hole closed and the new one has a great layout, but is just blah blah blah. Since the Eagles are on locally, I think I'll just watch them on the porch and enjoy a cigar. 

Me an John both went 8-5 last week, but I've got a lot of ground to cover to avoid another payout. Our season records are 55-61-4  and  64-52-4.

Here are this weeks' picks: 

1.) Kansas City Chiefs  (5-2)  at Home   (-7.5)   vs. Jacksonville Jaguars   (2-5)

Nick Foles starts at QB and that'll be enough.

PICK: CHIEFS

2.) Minnesota Vikings  (5-2)   at Home   (-6)   vs. Detroit Lions  (4-4)

Too many points.

LIONS TO COVER

3.) New York Giants  (4-3)  at Home  (-2.5)   vs. Philadelphia  Eagles  (4-3)

The Eagles might want to stretch the field a bit today, but I expect them to bounce back.

PICK: EAGLES

4.) Dallas Cowboys  (6-1)   (-7)   vs.   Cleveland Browns  (0-8)

Why only seven?

PICK: COWBOYS

5.) Miami Dolphins (3-4)   At Home  (-4)   vs.  New York Jets  (3-5)

Too many points.

PICK: JETS

6.) Pittsburgh Steelers (4-3)   (-1.5)   at  Baltimore Ravens  (3-4)

Big Ben is back.

PICK: STEELERS

7.) New Orleans Saints  (3-4)   (-4)   at  San Francisco  49ers   (1-6)

Chip Kelly belongs in college.

PICK: SAINTS

8.) Carolina Panthers  (2-5)   (-3)   at  Los Angeles  Rams  (3-4)

Case Keenum  vs.  Cam Newton?

PICK: PANTHERS

9.) Green Bay Packers   (4-3)   at  Home  (-7)  vs.  Indianapolis Colts  (3-5)

I really hate the points.

PICK: COLTS TO COVER

10.) San Diego Chargers  (3-4)   at Home  (-4.5)   vs.  Tennessee Titans  (4-4)

Too many points again.

PICK: TITANS TO COVER

11.) Oakland  Raiders  (6-2)    at  home   (-1)   vs.  Denver Broncos   (6-2)

Do I have this right? An Oakland Raider team with six wins on National Television a home favorite against the Super Bowl Champs? Yup.

PICK: RAIDERS

12.) Seattle Seahawks  (4-2-1)  at Home  (-7)   vs. Buffalo Bills  (4-4)

PICK: SEAHAWKS                                

 

NFL PICKS WEEK EIGHT 2016

We're halfway through the season and Christmas is right around the corner . I was a respectable 7-7-1 last week. John was 11-3-1. Our season long records are 47-56-4  and 56-47-4.

Here are this weeks' picks:

1.) Cincinnati Bengals  (3-4)   in London   (-3)   vs.  Washington Redskins  (4-3)

The Bengals look like they have their act together and the Redskins are banged up.

PICK: BENGALS

2.) Atlanta Falcons (4-3)     at  Home   (-3)   vs.    Green Bay Packers  (4-2)

The Falcons have a better offense and will score more points.

PICK: FALCONS

3.) Houston Texans  (4-3)   at Home  (-2.5)   vs, Detroit Lions  (4-3)

Matt Stafford  or Brock Osweiler?

PICK: LIONS 

4.) Seatle Seahawks  (4-1-1)   (2.5)   at New Orleans Saints  (2-4)

When will Shaun Payton be accountable for his defense?

PICK: SEAHAWKS

5.) New England Patriots  (5-1)   (-6.5)   at  Buffalo Bills   (4-3)

No way the Bills sweep this season series.

PICK: PATRIOTS

6.) New York Jets  (2-5)   (-2.5)   at  Cleveland Browns (0-7)

PICK: JETS

7.) Tampa Bay Buccaneers   (3-3)   at Home   (PK)  vs.  Oakland Raiders.

The Raiders are the new road warriors.

PICK: RAIDERS

8.) Kansas City Chiefs  (4-2)   (-3)   at   Indianapolis  Colts  (3-4)

Spencer Ware will run wild.

PICK: CHIEFS

9.) Denver Broncos  (5-2)   at  Home  (-4)   vs. San Diego Chargers  (3-4)

PICK: BRONCOS

10.) Carolina  Panthers  (1-5)   at  home  (-3)   vs. Arizona Cardinals  (3-3-1)

PICK: CARDINALS

11.) Dallas Cowboys   (5-1)   at home  (-4.5)   vs. Philadelphia Eagles  (4-2)

Every time I pick against the Eagles they win.

PICK: EAGLES

12.)  Minnesota Vikings  (5-1)   (-4.5)   at  Chicago Bears  (1-5)

The Bears are on their second straight national television games. And they wonder why fewer people are watching?

PICK: VIKINGS

NFL PICKS WEEK 6 2016

With the exception of the provincial excitement generated by Carson Wentz, this season has largely been a dud.

I was 8-5-1 last week. John was 7-6-1. Our season long records are 33-42-2 and 38-37-2, but we both took the Broncos on Thursday.

Here are this week's picks:


1.) New England Patriots   (4-1)   at  home  (-7.5)   vs. Cincinnati Bengals  (2-3)

If you made it 70, I'd still not pick the Bengals.

PICK: PATRIOTS


2.) New York Giants  (2-3)   at home  (-3.5)   vs.  Baltimore Ravens  (3-2)

Too many points.

PICK: RAVENS TO COVER


3.)  Carolina  Panthers  (1-4)   (-4)    at  New Orleans  Saints   (1-3)

One of them will be in a serious hole at the end of the day. Just a gut feeling here.

PICK: SAINTS

4.) Pittsburgh Steelers (4-1)     (-7)     at  Miami Dolphins  (1-4)

The Dolphins are appalling.

PICK: STEELERS

5.)  Chicago Bears   (1-4)    at  home   (-1.5)   vs.   Jacksonville  Jaguars  (1-3)

Jordan Howard is taking advantage of his shot in the backfield and Brian Hoyer performance will likely consign Jay Cutler to a permanent seat on the bench. The Jags are coming off a bye, but not exactly road warriors.

PICK: BEARS

6.) Buffalo Bills  (3-2)    at  home   (-8.5)    vs.  San Francisco  49ers   (1-4)

Kaepernick starts today. Shady invited 15 police officers to the game. Shady will rule the day.

PICK: BILLS

7.) Detroit Lions  (2-3)   at  home  (-3.5)   vs.  Los Angeles Rams   (3-2)

Ugh. I don't really care. 

PICK: LIONS

8.) Tennessee Titans  (2-3)   at home  (-7.5)   vs. Cleveland Browns  (0-5)

I'm tempted to take the points, but I can't pull the trigger.

PICK: TITANS

9.) Philadelphia Eagles  (3-1)   (-3)   at  Washington Redskins  (3-2)

The suspension of Tackle Lane Johnson makes this highly problematic, but I won't pass judgment unless it's a disaster.

PICK: EAGLES

10.) Kansas City Chiefs  (2-2)   (-2)   at  Oakland Raiders  (4-1)

If the Raiders win this game they will have sole possession of first place.    

PICK: RAIDERS

11.) Seattle Seahawks  (3-1)   at home  (-6.5)   vs. Atlanta Falcons   (4-1)

Too many points.

PICK: FALCONS TO COVER

12.) Green Bay  Packers  (3-1)  at home  (-4.5)   vs.  Dallas Cowboys  (4-1)

If the Cowboys win this game in Lambeau then Tony Romo is out of a job.

PICK: COWBOYS TO COVER

13.)  Houston Texans  (3-2)   at  home  (-3)   vs.  Indianapolis Colts  (2-3)

The Colts can't exploit Brock Osweiller's awfulness.

PICK:  TEXANS

14.) Arizona Cardinals  (2-3)   at home  (-7.5)  vs.  New York Jets  (-7.5)

The Jets are lost.

PICK: CARDINALS                   
          

NFL PICKS WEEK FIVE 2016

Well, now. There is quite some distance in our records after last week. I was 4-1. John was 11-4. Looks like dinner on me and we're only in week five. Our records are now 25-37-1 for me. John is 31-31-1. I need to rally.

Here are this weeks' picks:


1.) Minnesota Vikings  (4-0)  at  home  (-7)  vs.  Houston Texans  (3-1)

The Texans haven't faced a defense like the Vikings yet. They will regret it.

PICK: VIKINGS

2.) Miami Dolphins   (1-3)    at  home  (-3.5)   vs.  Tennessee Titans   (1-3)

Neither of these teams is great with the spread, but the Dolphins inspire nothing in me.

PICK: TITANS

3.) New England Patriots  (3-1)   (-11.5)    at    Cleveland Browns   (0-4)

DUH.

PICK: PATRIOTS

4.) Pittsburgh Steelers    (3-1)   at home  (-7)    vs.  New York Jets   (1-3)

I'm not going with the Jets until they show me something.

PICK: STEELERS

5.) Baltimore Ravens  (3-1)   at home  (-4)   vs.   Washington Redskins   (2-2)

Too many points.

PICK:  REDSKINS TO COVER

6.) Philadelphia  Eagles  (3-0)   (-4)    at   Detroit  Lions   (1-3)

There's still plenty of room on the Wentz Wagon.

PICK: EAGLES

7.)  Indianapolis Colts   (1-3)   at home  (-4.5)   vs.  Chicago Bears  (1-3)

The Colts can't block and Brian Hoyer is better than Jay Cutler.

PICK: BEARS

8.)  Denver Broncos  (4-0)   at  home  (-4)   vs.  Atlanta  Falcons   (1-3)  

Until someone beats the Broncos defense, I'm not picking against them.

PICK: BRONCOS

9.)  Buffalo Bills   (2-2)     (-1)   AT   Los Angeles  Rams   (3-1)       

I don't know how the Rams are 3-1, but the Bills being a road fave traveling to the coast? Icky. 

PICK: RAMS 

10.) Oakland Raiders  (3-1)    at home  vs.  San Diego Chargers   (1-3)

I'm tempted to take the points, but I'm not in the mood.

PICK: RAIDERS

11.) Cincinnati Bengals  (2-2)   (-2)   at  Dallas  Cowboys  (3-1)

The Cowboys a home dog?

PICK:  COWBOYS

12.)  Green Bay Packers  (2-1)   at  home   (-7)    vs.  New York Giants   (2-2)

I hate these points, but I hated them last week when the G-MEN played the Vikings.

PICK: PACKERS

13.)  Carolina  Panthers   (1-3)   at  home   (-4)   vs   Tampa Bay Buccaneers   (1-3)

Derek Anderson is starting in place of the concussed Cam Newton, but the Bucs are finding ways to lose.

PICK: PANTHERS     

NFL PICKS WEEK FOUR 2016

I was a miserable 4-11-1 last week. John was 5-10-1, although he wisely took the Bengals on Thursday night. I will never take the Dolphins no matter the points again. Our records are now 21-26-1 and 20-27-1 for the season.

This weeks' picks are:

1.) Indianapolis Colts  (1-2)  in London  (-2)   vs.   Jacksonville Jaguars  (0-3)

Until the Jags win, I'm not picking them.

PICK: COLTS

2.) Washington Redskins  (1-2)   at Home  (-7.5)  vs.  Cleveland Browns  (0-3)

Which is worse? The points or the Browns?

PICK: REDSKINS

3.) New England Patriots  (3-0)   at Home   (-7)  vs.  Buffalo Bills  (1-2)

No way I'm picking against Belichick

PICK: PATRIOTS

4.) Seattle Seahawks  (2-1)     (-1.5)   at   New York Jets   (1-2)

Flip a coin.

PICK: JETS

5.) Carolina  Panthers  (1-2)   (-3)   at  Atlanta Falcons  (2-1)

The Panthers have got to ready to go and the Falcons defense isn't good enough.

PICK: PANTHERS

6.) Detroit Lions  (1-2)   (-3)   at   Chicago Bears   (0-3)

Another home dog? The Bears deserve it.

PICK: LIONS

7.) Houston Texans  (2-1)   at Home   (-4.5)  vs.  Tennessee Titans   (1-2)

J.J. Watt is out for the season and Brock Osweiller sucks.

PICK: TITANS

8.) Baltimore Ravens  (3-0)   at Home  (-3.5)   vs. Oakland Raiders  (2-1)

Another long trip east for the Raiders is too much.

PICK: RAVENS

9.) Denver Broncos  (3-0)   (-3)  vs.   Tampa Bay Buccaneers   (1-2)

The Bucs have no shot.

PICK:  BRONCOS

10.) Dallas Cowboys  (2-1)   (-1.5)   at  San Francisco 49ers  (1-2)

The Niners are another home dog that deserves it.

PICK: COWBOYS 

11.) San Diego Chargers  (1-2)   at Home   (-3.5)   vs.  New Orleans Saints   (0-3)

When will Sean Payton be held accountable for the Saints miserable defense?

PICK: CHARGERS

12.) Arizona Cardinals   (1-2)    at Home   (-8.5)  vs.  Los Angeles Rams  (2-1)

I hate the points and the Rams, but it's a division rivalry.

PICK: RAMS TO COVER

13.) Pittsburgh Steelers  (2-1)   at Home   (-4)  vs.  Kansas City Chiefs   (2-1)

I love the points.

PICK: CHIEFS

14.) Minnesota Vikings  (3-0)   at Home   (-4.5)   vs.  New York Giants  (2-1)

Too Many points.

PICK: GIANTS TO COVER