Got an Appropriate Rainy Day Quote?

Coz I need one...a rainy day quote, that is. In the meantime I'll just ramble, if it pleases you. And even if it doesn't...

Wow. This is news!

The News Corporation, owner of the Fox News Channel and The New York Post, has made an unsolicited $5 billion takeover bid for Dow Jones, publisher of The Wall Street Journal.

Dow Jones confirmed today that it had received the offer and said that the Bancroft family, which controls the company, was evaluating the bid. “There can be no assurance that this evaluation will lead to any transaction,” the company said in a written statement.

But some members of the Bancroft family were already mobilizing against the bid. Four hours after Dow Jones made its first statement, it issued a second communication saying that some family members and their trustees planned to vote “shares constituting slightly more than 50 percent of the outstanding voting power of Dow Jones” against the deal.

I don’t have a problem with either Rupert Murdoch or his media empire. But, given my druthers, I’d prefer Dow Jones remain independent. Just sayin’.

Here’s The Journal’s extensive report on the subject, including two very good “at a glance” graphic profiles of both News Corp and Dow-Jones.

“Religion of Peace,” once again. The following was said during a sermon…

Sheik Ahmad Bahr, acting Speaker of the Palestinian Legislative Council, declared during a Friday sermon at a Sudan mosque that America and Israel will be annihilated and called upon Allah to kill Jews and Americans "to the very Last One." Following are excerpts from the sermon that took place last month, courtesy of MEMRI.

Ahmad Bahr began: "'You will be victorious' on the face of this planet. You are the masters of the world on the face of this planet. Yes, [the Koran says that] 'you will be victorious,' but only 'if you are believers.' Allah willing, 'you will be victorious,' while America and Israel will be annihilated. I guarantee you that the power of belief and faith is greater than the power of America and Israel. They are cowards who are eager for life, while we are eager for death for the sake of Allah. That is why America's nose was rubbed in the mud in Iraq, in Afghanistan, in Somalia, and everywhere."

[…]

The Hamas spokesperson concluded with a prayer, saying: "Oh Allah, vanquish the Jews and their supporters. Oh Allah, count their numbers, and kill them all, down to the very last one. Oh Allah, show them a day of darkness. Oh Allah, who sent down His Book, the mover of the clouds, who defeated the enemies of the Prophet, defeat the Jews and the Americans, and bring us victory over them."

If they’re so damned “eager for death,” then I suggest we accommodate them. Or, in other words… “Crank up the Enola Gay!” And I haven’t even been drinking (yet).

Remember: These are the guys the Euro-Weenies want to reestablish aid to/for, in the form of direct monetary support.

“When it becomes possible to re-engage with a national unity government…we could then hopefully resume support to the Palestinian Authority, ministers and ministries and agencies from which we have had to distance ourselves in the last year,” she said.

Although officials from EU member states indicated that Ms Ferrero-Waldner’s comments were premature, her statement highlights a growing divergence between the EU and the US and Israel.

Premature back in February when the above article was published, that is. One wonders if public statements sermons delivered by Hamas politicians in powerful positions have any affect at all on Euro-policy. I suppose we shall see, eh?

Game Four of what is shaping up to be the Wings’ most epic battle in the 2007 play-offs begins at 2000 hrs MDT this evening. Day before yesterday I said that if Monday’s game was close it would still be a series. Close it was, with San Jose taking the win by virtue of a 2-1 final score. The game shouldn’t have been either close or lost…had the Wings continued as they began. Detroit came out flying in Monday’s game, completely dominating the Sharks.

The Sharks were a bit rusty to begin their first home game in 12 days, and Lidstrom capitalized with a power- play goal on a slap shot from the blue line midway through the first period. The Red Wings captain hadn't found the net since scoring in each of the first two games of Detroit's first-round series with Calgary.

San Jose, which jumped to early 2-0 leads in both of the series' first two games, was in full retreat well into the second period, when the fans booed their team's inept power play. After leading the league for much of the regular season, San Jose's power play went 1-of-5 to drop to 4-for-42 in the playoffs.

It looked like a solid performance by the Wings…and at the end of two periods I thought it was in the bag. But the third period was all Sharks…and they deserved the win. Still and even, it was close. We have a series, folks, and a damned good one, too. Let’s hope the Wings re-discover the intensity they showed during the first period on Monday night…they’ll need all that intensity and perhaps a bit more to prevail in this series. I think it’s there…

No motorsickle riding today, I’m afraid. Looks like it’s gonna rain all day. But that’s OK. We need it. I did take the bike out for a putt yesterday, and it was moderately good. I’m still holding my breath where my back pain is concerned, however. The pain has been fairly constant since this past Saturday and shows no signs of letting up. I found some Flexeril I had rat-holed from a previous bout of back pain and am taking that, in addition to the Aleve. It’s beginning to look more and more like the problem just might be another ruptured disk… While the quality of the pain isn’t severe in its intensity, the location of said pain is all too telling, i.e., in my lower back just above my hips…with the occasional twinge felt in my right thigh.

Lord, I hope I’m wrong about this…