- With
the NBA season about to end, it’s time for the league’s biggest soap opera of
this season to deliver a few more dramatic moments before something goes kaboom
and someone is shown the door out of town. The Sacramento Kings have been one
giant clusterf*ck of dissent, disdain, dysfunction and downright terrible
basketball for the first 70 games of this season, in large part because their
head coach and best player hate each other. All-Star center DeMarcus Cousins is
one of the league’s best players and George Karl was once considered among its
best coaches, but Karl made it clear he wanted Cousins out during the
offseason, saying that the two-time All-Star could be traded. There have been
various clashes throughout the year and Cousins loudly voiced his displeasure
in the locker room after a 106-88 loss to the San Antonio Spurs on Nov. 9. Karl
was reportedly very upset by that incident and during the NBA All-Star break in
February, there were numerous reports that he would be fired. That didn’t happen,
but once the season ends, either coach or star center is going to be gone and
the latest evidence came last week when Cousins was suspended one game for
conduct detrimental to the team. Kings general manager Vlade Divac said in a
statement that the ban came from him, but once Cousins was back on the court,
he wasted no time rejecting that theory. "That wasn't a suspension from the
organization," Cousins said after the Kings' 108-99 loss to the Utah Jazz.
"That was one from the head coach.
There's a difference." The suspension was for yelling at Karl during a
timeout during a 120-111 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers, but soon enough, the
divorce ‘twixt coach and player should become more permanent………..
- And
the relaxation of military standards to ensure America has enough men and women
in uniform continues. Shortly after the United States Navy announced less
stringent policies when it came to weight and physical fitness for sailors,
permitting fatties in uniform to take their fitness test again with more lax
standards after three failures, the U.S. Marine
Corps is making it easier for women to cover up tattoos by allowing them to wear
crew-neck undershirts beneath their uniforms. Sure, giving the green light for
Under Armour to the ladies is a lot smaller of a deal than letting out the belt
lines for thousands of overweight seamen, but it’s a concession nonetheless. U.S.
Rep. Chellie Pingree spurred on the change when he complained that its dress
policy unintentionally discriminated against female recruits. After all, male
Marines are allowed to wear crew-neck T-shirts and to level the playing field,
the Corps made the requested change. Pingree brought the issue up on behalf of
Kennebunk resident Kate Pimental, who has a tattoo just below her collarbone
that reads, "Let your smile change the world but never let the world
change you." She got inked up shortly after turning 18 and yet, the Marine
Corps has a strict policy on tattoos — especially visible tattoos. The limit is
four and those four tats cannot contain any vulgar words or images or
references to drugs. Sleeves are also banned, as are tattoos on the face or
neck. With the new dress code, Pimental can make her dreams come true. "There is nothing I want more than to be
able to serve as a Marine," she said. Gen. Robert Neller, commandant of the
Marine Corps, wrote a letter to Pingree in which he noted that changing the
dress code to allow recruits like Pimental in will "add to the strength
and power of today's Marine Corps." Now about those chubby sailors……..
- This
should be a sight to see….pun intended. Stevie
Wonder is set to perform 'Songs In The Key Of Life' in its entirety in London
this summer, bringing together the iconic singer-songwriter, his classic 1976
album, the city’s iconic Hyde Park and thousands of fans. Tickets will go on
sale later this week and they should go fast, as this will be the first time
Wonder has brought his successful 'Songs In The Key Of Life Tour' to the United
Kingdom. He’s done such shows 34 times in the United States, but giving the
Brits a chance to enjoy his smooth voice and even smoother songs such as 'Isn't
She Lovely?', 'Sir Duke', 'As' and 'I Wish' is something that will draw a hefty
ticket price and even more interest. Not only is this the 40th anniversary of
the album, which won four Grammys including Album Of The Year and is widely
acknowledged as one of the best LPs of all time, but it’s part of the British
Summer Time series, which has a big corporate sponsor in Barclays and now, a
star attraction putting on the sort of show that tenured, über-successful
recording artists like Wonder, Pink Floyd and the like often put on because they
have huge albums that have made their careers and in some ways, come to define
their legacies. Barclaycard presents British Summer Time is a series of summer
gigs held in the middle of London at Hyde Park and among the other artists set
to take the stage this summer is Massive Attack, which bears little resemblance
to Wonder and may have a hard time living up to his standard………..
- Look
for Nigerian High Court Judge Yusuf Haliru to not
remain a Nigerian High Court judge - or in good health/alive - for long. Such
is the possible future for judges who accuse their country’s über-violent,
domineering military of behaving as if the country is still under military
dictatorship and ordering the immediate release of a colonel detained without
charges for nearly three months. Haliru pointed the finger at Nigeria's
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the army, saying the detention of
Col. Nicholas Ashinze was illegal. Before he was arrested, Ashinze was aide to
former presidential security adviser Sambo Dasuki, who also was arrested in December
on allegations of diverting $2.9 billion meant to buy arms to fight the Boko
Haram insurgency. He has been jailed ever since even though three different
courts have ordered Dasuki's release because President Muhammadu Buhari has
said he must stay in jail. Believe it or not, some opposition activists have
accused Buhari of using his fight against corruption to settle political score,
while human rights groups say some judges and lawyers are corrupt. It’s a messy
situation and it could get especially messy for Haliru and any other judge who
dares to stand up to the president and his army henchmen and demand that their
country actually operate with something remotely resembling fairness and responsible
governance……….
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