Case in Point:

What would the NBA off-season be without another chapter in the feud between former Los Angeles Lakers teammates Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant?

O’Neal, who won three NBA title rings with Bryant from 2000-02, was asked to get on stage at “The Underground,” a New York City club, and do some freestyle rap for the audience.

Shaq’s rap, which referenced Bryant’s role in O’Neal’s divorce in which the 2007 NBA MVP stated during his 2003 Colorado rape case, that he “should have done what Shaq does.  Shaq would pay his women not to say anything.”  Shaq also mentioned Bryant’s inability to win a championship ring without him.

Among the lyrics were: “I’m a horse, Kobe ratted me out, that’s why I’m getting divorced.”

Shortly after Bryant’s verbal attack on O’Neal five years ago, the 14 time “All-Star” was traded to the Miami Heat in 2004, a deal that Bryant reportedly played a large role in brokering.  Since then, O’Neal has come forward in recent years saying that their feud was over before this incident.

Miami was able to win an NBA title in 2006 with O’Neal. On the other hand, the Lakers’ disappointing six-game series loss to the Boston Celtics last week kept Bryant from winning his fourth NBA title, the first time he has been to the NBA Finals since O’Neal was traded.

O’Neal later told ESPN that his performance was pure entertainment and apologized if he hurt anyone’s feelings.

An Aside:

Shaquille O’Neal will lose his special deputy’s badge in Maricopa County because of language he used in a rap video that mocks former teammate Kobe Bryant.

Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio said that Shaq’s use of a racially derogatory word and other foul language left him no choice. Arpaio made Shaq a special deputy in 2006 and promoted him to colonel of his largely ceremonial posse later that year.

“I want his two badges back,” Arpaio (never losing an opportunity to wave his “tough guy” flag) told The Associated Press on Tuesday. “If any one of my deputies did something like this, they’re fired. I don’t condone this type of racial conduct.”

Shaq was seen in a video posted on the website TMZ.com rapping that “Kobe couldn’t do without me.” O’Neal needled the Lakers’ star, with whom he won three straight NBA titles from 2000-2002 while with the Lakers, for not being able to win a championship without him.

“I was freestyling. That’s all. It was all done in fun. Nothing serious whatsoever,” O’Neal told ESPN on Monday. A call to the Suns on Tuesday seeking comment from O’Neal was referred to his public relations firm, which didn’t immediately respond (well?).

Arpaio, who describes himself as “America’s Toughest Sheriff” and is best known (as a jerk) for feeding jail inmates green bologna, clothing them in pink underwear, and making them work on chain gangs, said he didn’t think his actions would teach Shaq a lesson, but he hoped he learns that as a role model who wants to someday be a full-time sheriff, he needs to know his words matter.

“Maybe I’m old fashioned, but I don’t think that either conduct should be out there publicly, even if media wasn’t there,” Arpaio said. This is a gross understatement from a man who feeds off the attention he gets for his cruel and unusual treatment of inmates, who’re placed in his custody.

O’Neal previously served as a reserve officer with the Miami Beach Police Department while playing for the Miami Heat. He also volunteered with the Tempe P. D. after being traded to the Suns in February.  Good job Shaq – now turn in your badge!

Bad Pain Medication Needs To Go 

A prescription painkiller sold under such names as Darvon and Darvocet is too risky to stay on the market, a consumer advocacy group argued Thursday in suing the Food and Drug Administration.

Public Citizen petitioned the FDA two years ago seeking a ban on the drug, calling it no more effective than safer painkillers and citing the accidental deaths of more than 2,000 people since 1981.

Thursday, Public Citizen filed suit in U.S. District Court in Washington arguing that FDA has violated the law by not ruling on its petition within the required six months.

At issue is a narcotic known chemically as propoxyphene, sold by numerous generic manufacturers as well as under the brand names Darvon and Darvocet.

It is considered a relatively weak painkiller. Public Citizen’s Dr. Sidney Wolfe cited a recent review of research studies that found ibuprofen worked better for most kinds of pain.

Yet propoxyphene is addictive, and even when used properly it can cause slowed heartbeat and other serious cardiac side effects, the lawsuit says. In addition, Wolfe said it has been deemed inappropriate for the elderly because of other side effects, include sedation and confusion, that increase risk of falls and fractures.

British health authorities ordered the drug phased out there in 2005, saying at the time that it was associated with a few hundred accidental deaths and suicides a year.

In the U.S., propoxyphene remains one of the most widely prescribed generic drugs, with 22 million prescriptions filled last year.

Neither FDA nor one of the drug’s main manufacturers immediately responded to requests for comment.  Source: MSNBC

Insurgents Release Prisoners From Jail

The Taliban have made a statement that they are responsible for the car bombing and rocket attacks that were used to kill police and free hundreds of prisoners from the Kandahar prison in Afghanistan.

Taliban spokesman, Qari Yousef Ahmadi, said that insurgents on motor-bikes and two suicide bombers (one at the gate and one in the rear) attacked “Sarposa Prison” and set 400 Taliban members free early this morning.

Police officials said over 600 prisoners escaped. Nine policemen were killed in the attack and left another dozen wounded. Several prisoners were also killed during the attack on the prison and shops in the area were damaged.

The attack started when a tanker truck filled with explosives, was detonated at the prison’s main gate, wrecking the gate and the police guard-shack.  All of the policemen inside were killed. Almost simultaneously, a suicide bomber on foot blew a hole in the rear wall of the prison.

It has been a war against the same people who caused the former USSR to finally just give up and leave. It’s very hard to beat indigenous militia on their home turf – remember Viet Nam?  I do. They knew exactly what to do and where to go to gain an advantage over superior American troops.  This time around, the enemy mindset is the same.  They don’t stop fighting to the last man and these guys don’t mind a bit if they’re killed, insuring their place in the afterlife.  Wow!

I found a new stun gun unlike any I’ve ever seen before, so I thought I’d give it a closer look and share it with you.  It has many attributes that make it an awesome new stun technology device.

The Double Trouble stun gun is far and away more effective than most stun guns to date because of the space between the contacts. The larger the space, the greater the effect it has. Most stun guns only have about 1.5 inches between contacts. The Double Trouble stun gun has 5 inches between contacts.

It also has a rubber coated, soft, contour grip that makes it easy to hold and hang on to.  It comes with a safety switch on the top with a red LED on/off indicator to let you know if the stun gun is ready to fire.

This little beast uses two CR123A batteries which are included with the unit and easy to obtain. It also comes with a hand strap and a free nylon carrying case with a belt clip.

This new stun gun is only 6″ long and weighs 6.9 oz. I already have a unit ordered and on it’s way. This should really light up anyone who would try to reach in a car window or in various other self defense scenarios.  It’s definitely worth a look see!