Inside Track Online

Mike Tully's Column - Ebony and Irony

Mike Tully — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 09:43:33 -0700

When George Carlin died a couple of weeks ago, there were still two words that you cant say on television. Or pretty much anyplace else, for that matter. All the other words now slip through the cultural net, thanks to the proliferation of cable channels and a general acceptance of profanity, but not these two. They are the words that must not be spoken. You have to use their nicknames instead.

These words are so horrible, so spine-chilling, and so dangerous, that we speak in code instead of actually saying them. The code is the worst kept secret in the history of humanity, because everybody knows what the words are. Still, we say f-word and n-word as though the hyphen was a burqa, concealing them from sight.

The coded nicknames elevate the words and give them status unenjoyed by other words. Rock stars, rap artists, and popular athletes have nicknames. That makes them cool. These two words have nicknames. Does that make them cool words?

Emil Franzi's Column - Governor owed us a better product

Emil Franzi — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 09:39:01 -0700

Republicans nationally and in Arizona are taking the brunt of public disgruntlement with government.

Fair enough. In many places, the GOP has been in charge and strayed from basic principles of fiscal responsibility. The reason is too many Republicans dont really believe in fiscal responsibility. The net result is Republicans get the rap for things they didnt hang tight on. Arizonas budget is a classic example.

Majority Republicans had no clear budget agenda acceptable to enough of themselves to pass much of anything. Democrats were united in both houses of the legislature and voted unanimously for a budget supported by Governor Napolitano. In both houses they picked up enough stray Republicans. Two conclusions are obvious. Republicans are basically incompetent and unable to unify, and Democrats are basically irresponsible and wasted their unity on the worst budget in recent state history.

Tom Danehy's Column - Good riddance, Brandon Jennings; have fun in Europe!

Tom Danehy — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 09:38:20 -0700

Let's see: History has given us Marco Polo and Christopher Columbus, Meriwether Lewis and Sir Edmund Hillary, Yuri Gagarin and Neil Armstrong.

Now we are being told by the media that we must add to that list of trailblazers the name Brandon Jennings.

For those of you who are blissfully unaware--content to pass your time pondering gasoline prices and home foreclosures--Jennings is this week's Greatest Basketball Player Ever, and he was going to stoop to showcase his game at the University of Arizona during the upcoming season before moving on to the NBA the following year.

Bruce Ash's Column - Gabby Giffords

Bruce Ash — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 09:37:32 -0700

When Gabby Giffords ran for congress in 2006 she ran, as many of her fellow travelers in the Democrat party, as a conservative.

One of Gabbys conservative values was her opposition to illegal immigration but since her coronation I mean election she has consistently voted with her partys leadership as an open borders, pro amnesty liberal.

Her latest attack on secure borders is her bill to gut e-verify that is the system designed to permanently close the I-9 loop hole used by illegal workers and unscrupulous employers who hire them.

This Week's Guests

Webmaster — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 09:36:51 -0700

Saturday, July 12, 2008

1:30 - Attorney Bill Risner on latest events concerning possible vote counting fraud in the RTA Election in Pima County

2:00 - Attorney Chris Wencker from the Benavidez Law Group to discuss the recent lawsuit against his blogger client by Tucson Greyhound Park - Animal LAw meets First Amendment.

3:00 - Tucson Weekly's Jim Nintzel will discuss the eleven propositions that will be on the November ballot.

4:00 - Voices of the West - OPEN PHONES over suggestions for new movie categories, topics and a reading list for those interested in the many aspects of Earpomania.

Jonathan Hoffman's Column - The Aim of AIMS

Jonathan Hoffman — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 07:46:23 -0700

Governor Napolitano signed into law a bill that will allow government school students to boost their AIMS test scores with good grades. This brings us back to the world as it existed before the test was a gleam in Lisa Keegan's eye.

We are now full circle because the original problem was artificially good grades, and social promotions. Those problems persist, and now that those grades trump, or "augment", the AIMS test score. It seems that there is no longer any hope for government schools.

This sordid story goes back to 1995 when then State Schools Superintendent, Lisa Keegan, got the ball rolling on a high school graduation test. The hope was that, by setting statewide standards, a high school diploma would indicate that the student had a basic grasp of reading, writing, and mathematics. A year later, the Board of Education set the standards, and the Arizona legislature made passing the test a requirement for graduation.

Inside Track Online

Inside Track Online — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 15:44:33 -0700

Inside Track with Emil Franzi and Friends. Comments on the top stories of the week through our blog and columns.

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