League One's Preston NE stops Burnley, 2-1

BALTIMORE, Maryland July 30, 2014 - Burnley no longer has an unbeaten record in the preseason, and everything about the 2-1 loss to League One Side Preston NE is cause for worry. Claret coach Sean Dyche decided last night was the night he would begin to ramp up the amount of playing time afforded his top line players, but as they say on this side of the pond, he didn't get much bang for his buck.

Burnley did break on top early on when newcomer Lukas Jutkiewicz scored his third goal in as many matches. The tally came in the 15th minute according to an account of the game on the team's website,on a feed from David Jones. Jones adroitly stole the ball from Preston defender Bailey Wright, and fed Jutkiewicz, who then merely had to beat the Northender's keeper, Jamie Jones. He did so with polished ease. According to reports, the Claret dominated play in the opening half, and the score from Jutkiewicz came after several near misses. Things began to turn as the half approached. First, Preston's Joe Garner fired a missle from 20 yards that brought a fine save from Claret Keeper Matt Gilks, starting for the second straight time as first string keeper Tom Heaton continued to rehap his injured calf. This time, however, Dyche went with Gilks throughout after splitting time in the firs two games with last year's back-up, Tom Cisak. Cisak started the opener against Austrian Side FC Grossklein and played the second half against Accrington Stanley without allowing a goal. Right before halftime last evening Preston appeared to equalize after a header from the home team captain, Tom Clark, beat Gilks, but the Claret benefitted when an offside call took the score away.

After the half, Burnley continued to dominate possession, but Preston began to counter-attack effectively. Not long after the break, Alan Browne beat Gilks after havig taken a pass from Garner. With two minutes left it appeared that Preston would take the lead when Ben Davies got off a scorpion kick, but Gilks saved it. Two minutes later, however however, Josh Brownhill beat Gilks on a 30-yard free kick. Burnley had only injury time to fashion a rally, and this thety could not do.

Apparently many of the lads who started against Preston will also start against Chelsea on August 18. Heaton is said to be on target to return before then as the keeper, and one wonders what Cisak has done to fall behind Gilks as the backup keeper. What is the status of Sam Vokes and will be be ready any time soon? Jutkiewicz and Marvin Sordell look like good pick-ups, but after exploding for eight scores against the fifth division Austrian side in the preseason opener, the Claret have been held to a single score against sides in lower leagues for two matches running.

It is way too early to worry, isn't it?

Israeli Defense Force Stunned by Number and Sophistication of Hamas Tunnels

BALTIMORE, Maryland July 28, 2014 - The IDF (Israeli Defense Force) has been taken aback by both the number and sophistication of tunnels built and operated by Hamas at the border between Gaza and Israel. An independent reporter who often posts for Fox - Paul Alster - wrote that "more than 60 access shafts leading to 28 tunnels have been uncovered since Israel's ground operation -- dubbed Operation Protective Edge -- began on July 8."

The IDF has known of the tunnel system for years and have uncovered quite a few during the many operations started against Hamas. But this operation - more extensive than almost all previous operations against Hamas - has found a virtual motherlode of tunnels fortified with weapons, IDF uniforms, and other military hardware and supplies, Alster wrote.

Last week an IDF force came upon a Hamas Terrorist Unit emerging from a tunnel and a fierce gunfight broke out. When it was over, ten Hamas Terrorists were dead along with four members of the IDF. The Terrorists were clad in uniforms meant to look like IDF uniforms.

Israeli citizens who live anywhere near the Gaza border live in fear that a Hamas Tunnel will emerge inside one of their perimetered residential areas, a reality that could lead to massive carnage, Alster wrote.

Burnley Wins Second Preseason Friendly to Improve to 2-0; Lancashire Neighbor Accrington Stanley Falls to Claret, 1-0, as Gilchrist Scores in Second Straight Match

BALTIMORE, Maryland July 26, 2013 - Jason Gilchrist scored in his second straight match for the senior Claret, and Burnley's two reserve keepers again combined for a second whitewash, as the Claret stopped Accrington Stanley, 1-0, in a match not nearly as close as the score indicated. Burnley had several scores taken back by questionable officiating decisions during the match at Accrington's Store First Stadium played in front of over 3,100 fans, of which over 1500 were Burnley fans. Gilchrist - just 19 years old and a graduate of the Claret's youth division team - scored in the 73rd minute on a feed from Scott Arfield.

Several Key Players sat out the match, the second this week after Sunday's 8-0 win over Fifth Division Austrian Side FC Grossklein, a match that was played in Austria. Burnley is back in action Tuesday night at Preston.

In Late July, Mid-Atlantic Braces for Strong Cold Front; Lows in 50's, Highs Only in Low to Mid 70's by Mid-Week

BALTIMORE, Maryland July 25, 2014 - Don't get me wrong. I am not complaining. Who could complain? In late June in most years a Bermuda High plops itself down in the Atlantic Ocean off of North Carolina and for weeks on end pumps hot humid air north across the Atlantic Seaboard. The forecast for the better part of June, July and August is for highs in the mid-90's and lows in the mid 70's, and humidity in the 80% range. Maybe every week or two they'll be a cloudy day with highs in the 80's keeps the average high temperature in the upper 80's, but you get the drift. In Baltimore and Washington and points south, summer is hot and humid, day in and day out as the locals argue whether the misery is caused by the heat or the humidity. Cold Fronts? They don't get here in summer. Between the Bermuda High and the Appalacian Mountains, the Cold Fronts that do drop out of Canada in summer peter out before they get to the east coast. This part of the country doesn't expect a real shot of Canada Air until later August and September. Except this summer and for many recent summers it hasn't been that way. This year the winter was very very cold and the cold lasted through March and well into April. Since then temperatures have warmed, but unlike most years when this part of the country doesn't have much spring weather because once the winter is broken in later March the southern air flows into the Mid-Atlantic almost at once. This year the hot summer air didn't come. This summer has been cool. And the forecast is downright shocking. Today the high was in the low 80's with low humidity and it was wonderful, but apparently mother nature is only getting warmed up, no pun intended. The National Weather Service says a strong cold front is moving across the USA with heavy rain preceding it. Once it passes, temperatures will drop and stay down for several days. I couldn't be happier. The National Weather Service says the cold front passes by Monday Night, and Tuesday will be sunny with a high of only 75 dgrees. Tuesday night will be clear with a low of 57 degrees. The hottest stretch of the year, on average, has just passed and from here on out it gradually gets cooler. The "hottest stretch" in Baltimore means average highs of 89 degrees and average lows of 73 degrees. These are averages. Accu-weather says the cool weather will continue throughout August. I'm not about to jump into the global warming debate. Whatever is going on is going on because it is supposed to go on. And I'm not complaining, not even a little bit. Just wondering if I should pack a sweater for my trip to D.C. next week.

Burnley Starts Preseason With 8-0 Rout of Austrian Side; Premier Opener Has Chelsea Coming to Turf Moor on Monday, August 18

BALTIMORE, Maryland July 16, 2014 - With the World Cup having just ended, and a very cool summer seemingly already past its peak, it is hard to believe that autumn and soccer are looming large on the immediate horizon. Burnley was in Austria last week and, while there, opened its preseason schedule with an 8-0 trouncing of FC Großklein. Even with three starters held out, the Claret were way too much for the fifth Division Austrian Side. Two goals each were scored by newcomers Marvin Sordell and Lukas Jutkiewicz in their unofficial Burnley debuts, while Ashley Barnes, Scott Arfield, and Jason Gilchrist, the latter a promotion from Burnley's youth side, also scored during the rout. Not playing for the Claret were Dean Marney, Sam Vokes and Tom Heaton. Coach Sam Dyche insisted that the injuries to Marney and Heaton were minor and both could have played were the game a regular season match. With Heaton out, Burnley started Tom Cisak, who also backed up Heaton last season, starting one Tournament Game and one Championship League match. Cisak went the first 45 minutes and new No. 3 keeper, Matt Gilks, went the final 45.

The match was the first of six preseason friendlies for Promoted Burnley, who open the regular Premier League season against powerful Chelsea on August 18. The eyes of the soccer world will be on legendary Turf Moor that Monday night as the Claret return to the Premier Division for only the second season in the past 36. The second preseason match comes Saturday at Accrington Stanley. Kick off at Accrington Stanley's home field is 3 pm. Here is the Preseason Schedule, including just-added Hellas Verona:

Sunday, July 20 FC Großklein 0, Burnley 8
Saturday, July 26 at Accrington Stanley, 3 pm (10 am EDT)
Tuesday, July 29 at Preston, 7:45 pm (2:45 pm EDT)
Saturday, August 2, at Blackpool, 3 pm (10 am EDT)
Tuesday, August 5, Celta Vigo {Italian La Liga} at Turf Moor, 7:30 pm (2:30 pm EDT)
Saturday, August 9, Hellas Verona (Italian Serie A) at Turf Moor, 3 pm (10 am EDT)

Read more at http://www.burnleyfootballclub.com/fixtures-results/fixtures-list/index.aspx#P887LJD72p16LiP8.99

Growing Disenchantment with Obama; Remains of Largest Bird Ever to Have Lived Found Near Charleston, South Carolina; Orioles Lead American League East by Four Games at All Star Break, Key Series at Oakland Looms

BALTIMORE, Maryland July 13, 2014 - The crisis on the Southern Border continued to percolate across the United States this week, with the President adopting a attitude now more and more his calling card. "How dare they?" he all but moaned to an audience hand-picked to adore his every word. He tells these kinds of audiences that he has been "forced" to attempt to act alone because the Congress won't act. And that darn Constitution isn't going to stand in his way either. Presidents in the past have been confronted with the same kinds of problems; it just didn't seem appropriate to them to lop off the Constitutions time-honored way of reigning in a President with ridiculous ideas from Noam Chomsky's handbook. Down on the border, tens of thousands of children pile in from all over Central and South America, hoping they can drop anchor and reel their parents in later, or at least that is the plan of the parents back home, who don't see the problem in sending youngsters off in the care of some Coyote.

Now, were I in their shoes, I concede that I might conjure up something equally as breath-taking. It used to be that those darn Americans had laws to keep things like this from happening.

Obama's outrage is also driven by increasingly vehement talk of impeachment. I don't favor impeachment, instead, I favor vigorous legislative resistance to far left lunacy, replaced by good old American Democrats and Republicans using good old American ideas to right the ship of state. Tell me that a cut in business taxes would not spark an economic boom coupled with increased employment. Tell me! It would work so fast it would make your head spin. Cut taxes to everyone, and within six months the federal treasury would be swimming in tax revenue. Even high school grads can figure that out. But the Wild Left of Obamaville just can't do that. Putting capital in the hands of people who generate jobs? Good gracious alive!

I had a dream one night that a big ship, with no engine, no sails, and only two small oars, left port bound for Beijing. On board were Dingy Harry, Obama, Obama's inner circle, Nancy Pelosi, George Soros, and several similar types. There was no radio on board. Withing 48 hours, the world was brighter, happier, and more hopeful. It was only a dream

Angela Merkel kicked out our CIA person-in=charge in Germany. In public, booted him out. It was done the way it was done for one reason: she is very angry at Obama and wanted him and the rest of the world to know. Then, Germany won the World Cup. Germany is having a very good summer.

Amazing Discovery Right Here in These United States: Remains of Largest Flying Bird Ever to Have Lived Discovered near Charleston, South Carolina A construction crew thought they'd found something while digging prior to laying the foundation for a new building near Charleston, South Carolina. They were right. It was the skeletal remains; i.e., fossils of the largest flying bird ever to have lived on Earth. Pelagornis Sandersi is the largest species of an extinct line of seabirds which lived on Earth about 25 million years ago. Its wing span was 24 feet and it weighed up to 88 pounds. Scientists are almost certain the animal could fly, although it is doubtful it could get airborne from a standing position. Instead, like certain other birds today, it probably needed to run downhill or into a headwind to get airborne. But scientists also believe the animal, once up in the air, was a powerful aviator. It had a kind of tooth right in its beak, made out of beak material. The web site, "Live Science" has news about the creature, including an artist's rendition of what it might have looked like, at this web page: http://www.livescience.com/46679-largest-flying-bird-discovered.html

At the All Star Break, Orioles Lead American League East by 4 Games Don't look now, but at the All Star Break, the Orioles have a four game lead in the American League's Eastern Division. Only one other team - the Blue Jays - are above .500 in a division often thought as Baseball's toughest. The Yankees are right at .500 at 47-47, while the Red Sox and Rays are both nine games below the break even point. The Yankees have huge problems with their starting pitching - four key starters are injured - and the Blue Jays limped into the break having gone 2-8 in their last ten games. The Orioles haven't exactly been burning up the league either, and they have a key series on the West Coast at Oakland looking them in the eye starting Friday. Here are the Standings up-to-the-minute:

American League Eastern Division Standings
1. Baltimore Orioles: 52 wins, 42 losses, .553 pct
2. Toronto Blue Jays: 49 wins, 47 losses, .510 pct, 4 games behind the Orioles
3. New York Yankees: 47 wins, 47 losses, .500 pct, 5 games behind the Orioles
4. Tampa Bay Rays: 44 wins, 53 losses, .454 pct, 9.5 games behind the Orioles
5. Boston Red Sox: 43 wins, 52 losses, .453 pct, 9.5 games behind the Orioles

American League Eastern Division Schedule for Friday, July 18, 2014:
Baltimore Orioles at Oakland Athletics, 10:05 pm EDT
Texas Rangers at Toronto Blue Jays, 7:07 pm EDT
Cincinatti Reds at New York Yankees, 7:05 pm EDT
Tampa Bay Rays at Minnesota Twins, 8:10 pm EDT
Kansas City Royals at Boston Red Sox, 7:10 pm EDT

Immigration is Not an Unsolvable Problem

BALTIMORE, Maryland July 10, 2014 - According to a popular TV pundit, only far right wing folk believe that the situation at the Southern USA Border is as it is because that is the way the President wants it. It is a ridiculous statement, equivalent to saying that if you believe the truth, you are on the political fringe. I hope we haven't come to that. I would refer that pundit to the President's so-called autobiographical tomes - there are two of them - but I don't expect him to change his mind and, to quote a far far left wing soon-to-be-official Democratic Presidential Candidate, "what difference does it make" anyway. As we have noted time and again, Obama is a proud resident of the kook fringe; i.e., the far far left. People who spend their lives their detest democracy, capitalism, freedom, including freedom of speech, and anything else that leads to somebody following their dreams or achieving success. President Obama does not like America, believes it is evil in its formation, believes the people who formed it are evil, and is doing all he can to bust it up, whittle it down, destroy it from within, and weaken it in whatever ways he can. It really is not fair to say he is one of the worst Presidents ever, because no other President has tried to destroy the country like he is doing. He has no intention at all of checking the influx of young third-world people rushing over the United States-Mexico border. He has no intention of sending the ones that are here already back to where they came from. And, he will never do anything that will meaningfully limit the number of people "sneaking" into America. To Obama, it is and always will be "come one, come all, come now, while I am the President, because if somebody like Ted Crews or even some moderate some other real conservative gets in the oval office that border will, in fact, be closed for good.

Part of the far left strategy is to make modest efforts to conceal their intentions so that people who oppose them cannot get a toehold on power. Therefore, do not ever expect Obama to come out and tell people what I have said in the paragraph above. Instead, he will say as he said yesterday, that if those darn Republicans will only agree to immigration reform, the USA could beef up our security on the southern border. If any of them are still dumb enough to fall for that, there will be amnesty for every border jumper already here, there will be continued border jumping, and while there may be token steps to "beef up" security, it will never be enough to actually hinder border jumping.

I write this almost matter-of-factly, but in truth, it is beyond depressing and stupifying. A young and intelligent man who had the makings of greatness, instead stoops to stagnant never-worked uber left paradigms of failure. And he is a failure in everybody's mind but his own ego-drunk persona. Another Pundit ask an even tougher question yesterday: why hasn't the loyal opposition been beating a drumbeat about this miserable situation? Because, except for a group of far right thinkers - at least people call them far right, an assumption that is absolutely wrong - people inside the beltway, no matter their party, believe that some kind of what they call immigration reform is necessary. And to the people who say that, reform is equal to amnesty.

I keep proposing this solution: close the border tight. Close it permanently. Then, rewrite immigration laws to expedite the ability of those who want to come here to live to be able to do so. If no one was coming in illegally, the number of legal immigrants could be greatly increased, and we would know what we have to know about these new Americans. If there was a demonstrated need for farm workers, let them come here legally and in sufficient numbers to fill the bill. It can be done. Visas should be computerized so that those who aren't on a plane out when their authorized time here ends could be flagged immediately and put out quicker than quick. On the other hand, if your visit here is legal, you have rights not to be bothered. And so what is wrong with this idea. If the borders were closed tight, the issue of working out the situation for those who are here illegally would be simple. Really, it would. The people who oppose amnesty do so because they know it will not end the problem. But if the borders were tightly closed, that would no longer be the case. What am I missing?