HORSE RACING IS UNDER SEIGE

With the tragedy in the aftermath of the Kentucky Derby, and the loss of another thoroughbred (Eight Belles),"The Sport of Kings," is suddenly being compared with "The Squared, Circle," boxing. (God, I love cliches.)Except, there's one big exception, the boxer has a choice, the horse doesn't.

Let's see, the breeding and cross-breeding of name studs has weakened the current line of thoroughbreds. It seems like every race horse (Including all starters in this years Derby) can trace their lineage back to Native Dancer. Either directly to him, or to his son, daughter, nephew, niece, grandson, grand daughter, great-great-great and on-and-on-and-on.

Remember, Native Dancer? A bundle of a 1,000 pounds of muscle held up by four tender legs. And this weakness in his legs may just have been passed on-and-on-and-on.

The modern day trainers can really train. However, they are better trainers with a variety of drugs and a multitude of pain-killers at hand. Faster horses, through better chemistry. There has to be a line in the sand of racetracks cutting down the use of drugs. And, don't forget to check out the racing surfaces now in use. There might just be a better track to run on.

But, the best answer? Save the thoroughbreds one more year. Let them grow up, put on a little more weight, become more mature. Even create a series of exercises to build up the muscle and strength in their legs. Don't let them race until they are four years old. One year can make a world of difference.

This may just save some of the fastest horses in the world for a long and happy life. And we may never have to again face the tragedy of this years Derby.

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THE DISAPPEARING TV CRITIC

NBC's coverage of the Kentucky Derby was "clean." That's the term often used by TV sports departments when you get on and off on time, your opening and closing both work, you cover the entire story, and you get all the commercials in.

I think "almost clean" is a better description of this year's coverage. But don't forget that the Kentucky Derby, with replays, can only be stretched to five, maybe six minutes of sports excitement. The rest is simply to sell enough commercials to pay for the production cost, plus, and that's a BIG PLUS, the rights fee for the event, and maybe a little profit. NBC did very well in this department, even selling the sponsorship of The Best Hat Contest.

What was missing were taped replays of the fatal injury to Eight Belles the only filly in the race. Following her gallant second place finish, Eight Belles' tragedy came a quarter mile past the finish line, when she suddenly fell forward on her knee. She suffered simultaneous, compound fractures of her front ankles.

NBC said the injury, the horse going down, and then writhing in pain is simply not a picture to show families watching at home. And with this we agree.

The key mistake was made on Friday night in the production meeting where the decision was made to pick the horses to isolate on during the race. NBC said they decided not to use one of their cameras to isolate on Eight Belles.

Normally a good decision. But perhaps NBC was not aware that presidential candidate Hillary Clinton made Eight Belles a main part of her stump speeches last week, as the filly she would bet on and that she was sending Chelsea to Louisville with instructions to place her bet. An interesting part of the coverage that was missed. With an isolated camera, NBC would have had much better tape of the injury to show, without upsetting the viewing audience.

The "Disappearing TV Critic" awards a bronze medal.

THE RETURN OF THE COMIC BOOK

I remember, oh so long ago, making the statement, "I don't care what anybody says. When I grow up, I'll still read comic books." I was so sure. I was so wrong.

But, it came to pass, the motion picture industry did it for me. They continue to read comic books and they continue to bring the super-heros of my youth, to life on the big-screen. Superman, Batman, and Spider-Man
continue to fight for the American way.

The current Governor of California, once answered a journalists question, "How do you pick your next picture?" Arnold said, "If you can tell what the picture is all about, from only a movie poster, then it's my kind of picture."

So here we go again. "Iron Man," is the Governors type of picture, but he's busy right now fighting the recession, so Robert Downey, Jr. makes a bigger comeback, as Tony Stark, than anyone ever thought possible.

This is the same comics story-line, billionaire/womanizing/playboy/
weapons manufacture/ makes-over into "Iron Man," who saves the world and this weekend's Box Office.

Signed: The Disappearing Movie critic

Millions of Americans Expected to Gather on May 1st, 2008 to Pray for America

Tommorrow is a very special and powerful day for our country. Tens of thousands of prayer events are planned across the country on Thursday May 1, 2008 in recognition of the 57th Annual National Day of Prayer. There are over 35,000 National Day of Prayer events that will be held around the United States on May 1. In churches, parks and on courthouse steps, citizens will pray for our nation; government leaders, media, military, schools, churches, businesses and families.

"This is a critical time to be in prayer for our country. The biblical principles upon which America was founded are under attack in every segment of society," said Shirley Dobson, chairman of the National Day of Prayer Task Force. "We pray God will raise righteous leaders for our country."

This year's theme, "Prayer! America's Strength and Shield" is based on Psalm 28:7: "The Lord is my strength and shield; my heart trusts in him, and I am helped." The Lord hears and responds to His children's cry for help. He is their strength, refuge, and courage in personal and national times of suffering, despair and loss.

About the National Day of Prayer:
Recognizing that prayer has been and continues to be an integral part of our nation's history, Congress established the National Day of Prayer in 1952. This observance is currently held on the first Thursday each May, when all Americans are encouraged to exercise their religious freedom by gathering publicly to worship and pray for our land.

Visit www.nationaldayofprayer.org to learn more and I encourage you to find and attend an event in your area!!

THE SUPREME COURT RULES

The Supreme Court does it again. But first, did you get a chance to see U.S. Justice Antonin Scalia, Sunday night (4/27/08) on CBS's 60 Minutes?

There are two interesting Supreme Court Cases that he had a big part in deciding and he talked about them both. The first was Gore vs. Bush where the Supreme Court handed the Presidency of the United States to George W. Bush. This in turn has led to the past eight years where the U.S. has accomplished nothing except killing thousands of people and going into debt for trillions of dollars. A debt not to be paid by us, but by future taxes on our children and grandchildren. In fact, for the first time ever, U.S. taxes have been lowered during a time of war. Mostly for the wealthy.

Justice Scalia said this WAS NOT a political decision. WHAT? Naming the President of the United States by the Supreme Court is not political? I still can't find a word about the naming of the President of the United States in the Constitution. The only true decision would have been to rule for recounts in whatever states it applied. Let the majority of the people decide who the President is, not the Supreme Court.

In addition he said it was Al Gore who wanted the Supreme Court to rule and he got what he wanted. The Justice is guilty of a short memory in what was the worst ever decision by the high court. It was W. Bush and his fathers conservative backers, led by Jim Baker, who wanted the conservative Court to rule and they got what they wanted.Then, Justice Scalia stated on CBS, it is legal for the U.S. to torture terrorist. His reasoning. The Constitution does not apply to torture. In fact the
word torture never appears in the Constitution. That's not the Constitution I studied in Law School and its not the Constitution of the country we live in.

Fast forward to today. Just a week before the Indiana primary, the USSC upheld the Indiana law where you have to have a government picture identification before you can vote. This ruling will severely limit the poor and aged, particularly the black population, from voting. To get photo-
identification you have to have a birth certificate. That costs money. You have to have transportation to a state government office. That costs money. In Indiana this applies to a demographic that mostly votes for liberal democratic candidates.

When I grew up there was a similar law in most southern states to keep the poor black folks from voting. Not because they were democrats but
because the white folks were afraid who they might vote for.

I had hoped that we were past that. Apparently not in Indiana and not in today's conservative Supreme Court.

It was called a POLL TAX.