UM

Despite the assertions that the NCAA cannot hand out the Death Penalty to the University of Miami, I certainly hope that it does in response to the revelations of widespread rule breaking by the players, coaches, and administrators. I think a message needs to be set, and it needs to hurt pockets. Although many are guilty, UM is and has been blatant in its bad behavior for decades. Forget that it is Miami. Sadly, many of the players are already millionaires in the pros and cannot be touched, but I hope their reputations at least take a hit. I am tried of hearing about the need for players to be paid. . .the good ones get their paydays, and the lesser ones get their educations, free. Doing what they would be doing anyway. If money is a problem, they need to develop a minor league football arrangement akin to that in baseball and basketball, and let the players who want an education continue to play in college. Yes, I know. . .the schools make millions. But it will get far worse if players start getting paid.

NOTED

This quote from conservative commentator David Frum: "The United States provides less assistance to the unemployed and the poor than almost any other democracy. It spends 60% more per person on health care than almost any other democracy -- and gets worse results. The problem is not that Americans use too much medicine. People in other countries use more. The problem is that Americans pay too much for the medicine they use. Go where the money is, cut where the waste is grossest."

In addition to that, I might add that we let the energy companies take far too much of a profit off resources everyone in the country owns. If you skimmed just a few billion off the top of the company profits, they would not be hurting (really) and it might help balance the budget.