Bits and bites while preparing for a quick dash up to Las Vegas and an overnight at The Mirage – one the the perks of living in Phoenix, fer shure – to exchange some wacky Hawaiian shirts at Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville too small to play Goodboys golf in two weeks’ hence:

On the political front:

* Chalk up yet another Air America success story. This, apparently, on the heels on this. I guess you just can’t beat quality radio programming.

* For the the progressive/liberal Left’s lofty and sanctimonious pronouncements of acceptance, tolerance, and diversity, you can always count on them to reveal their true colors when the rubber hits the road. Two cases in point:

1) Jeff Goldstein, who blogs at Protein Wisdom has been subject to vicious attacks by a left blogger who, by the way, turns out to be a faculty member at the University of Arizona. Michelle Malkin has the details of this ugly situation – so ugly, in fact, that said professor has chosen to quit her job. Oh, and now she says she’s getting death threats. That’s guaranteed response strategy #1 used by the progressive/liberal left whenever their moonbat behavior comes out from under the radar screen – deflect attention by becoming the victim through death threats claims.

2) The way respected Senator and former VP candidate Joe Liberman is being treated by the John Kerrys and Hillary Clintons and others in his for the purpose of political expediency – simply because he’s been a supporter of the troops and the effort in Iraq – is nothing short of shameful. But that’s the way it is on the progressive/liberal left – they’re all for tolerance and diversity as long as you think the way they do. Otherwise, you’ll get tossed overboard like yesterday’s garbage.

On the sports front:
* Sports Illustrated’s Gary van Sickle is musing about what he’d do if he were PGA Commissioner for a day. OK, bringing back wooden clubs would be a stupid idea, but this isn’t:

4. Change out-of-bounds stakes: Is there anyone who doesn’t hate white out-of-bounds stakes? I didn’t think so. The penalty is too severe for the crime, a loss of stroke and distance. Plus, it slows down play. I’m changing it to make O.B. stakes more like a lateral hazard. You may drop two club lengths from where your shot crossed the white-stake boundary, and at least make progress toward the green. What’s that? Oh. You’re welcome.

Yeah, make the pros play Goodboys rules. Then we’ll really see who “da man” truly is. I would also add all pros have to have two beers before going out to settle the nerves. At least that’s what makes The Great White Shank tick…

* I’m afraid Rob was right about that minor deal between the N.E. Patriots and the N.O. Saints that brought underachieving defensive lineman Johnathan Sullivan to New England for equally underachieving WR Bethel Johnson. Seems Sullivan is more than just a stiff after all.

*OK, I’m ready to admit Jon Lester may be the real deal. Watching him work out of jams and tame a powerhouse Chicago White Sox team last night was a thing to behold. You can see him maturing and gaining more confidence with every start. And today’s game (Josh Beckett against Freddy Garcia) ought to be a good one too.

*And is there a hotter hitter in baseball right now than Big Papi? Denton at Surviving Grady has these thoughts.