Project OSPREY: Duke vs. U.N.C.
11:16 P.M. - Duke 89-78 North Carolina. As with so many things in life, I didn't realize how much I'd missed college basketball until I got back into the game. Fantastic stuff.

10:50 P.M. - Just outside five minutes to go, I'd be a lot more confident if Duke could maintain those leads of eight or nine instead of always letting U.N.C. pull back to within five or six.

10:29 P.M. - I respectfully disagree with Mr. Vitale's assertion that Duke-U.N.C. in men's basketball is the greatest rivalry in college sports, though I do appreciate the hesitant mention of Michigan-Ohio State in Football. To mine eyes emotion is definitely playing a big part in tonight's action, especially on the North Carolina side. That's what I love about college sports, the undeniable uniqueness of rivalry games. The mind may know that calming down and treating the game like any other might be the surest path to victory, but the heart knows that is an impossible demand.

Be nice if Duke could start raining threes again like during the middle of the first half.

9:55 P.M. - Halftime. I would've reported again during the first half, but Tiger decided to take up station on my lap. And the weather outside if frightful; so, the kitty's warmth was welcome indeed. I can't believe the way the Blue Devils let their lead shrink from eleven points to three! Come on, Duke, just keep doing what you'd been doing. Spread 'em out, take your time, and wait for the high percentage shots.

Bah, I wish Lawson was healthy so that this game was between both teams at the peak of their prowess.

9:14 P.M. - Boy howdy, this is going to be great. North Carolina's up 12-10 and dominating the rebounds, but Duke's got a few tricks to disrupt the Tar Heel offense. And Dickie V's back! Sweet mercy, I picked a good time to get back into college ball.

Snap!
Though I fiercely prefer America's style of representative democracy to parliamentary democracy, one thing I do admire is their ability call snap elections. Italylink. Italy is currently without a legitimate government, and that kind of anarchy is one of the great perils and persistent follies of parliamentary democracy, but here in the U.S. we are in the midst of a months-long exercise to select the major-party nominees for the presidency - the primary season - but even once the Republican and Democratic nominees are chosen we will still have eight of nine months of campaigning before the general election on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November. Senators Clinton, McCain, and Obama and Governors Huckabee and Romney have been running for the presidency for years. Though Iowa seems years distant, 'twas only a month ago, and we've got nine more months of this slog yet to go. Italy may not have a real government even after April's snap elections, but at least they only have to put up with two month's worth of campaigning.

Of course, the grass always looks greener....

The Rebel Black Dot Song of the Day
Less Than Jake, "Sobriety Is a Serious Business and Business Isn't So Good" from B is for B-Sides (T.L.A.M.)

Commentary: "Will all the assholes is this room please raise your right hand."