Author: hankkalet

The Knicks won their third straight tonight, beating Indiana by getting to the free throw line a dozen more times than the Pacers. That difference accounted for much of the lead and proves, again, that when the Knicks get to the line they stand a good chance of winning.

We’re at a gas station in Ottawa, I’ll., right off Route 80 — very possibly a different country than my East Coast home. Need evidence? Check out these car magnets.

Of courser, Illinois is Obama’s home state, so this kind of violent anti-Obama rhetoric is not widespread here — though it is very much present.

Mike D’Antoni is out, following Donnie Walsh out the door. D’Antoni’s record was mixed — he only had short spurts in which he was lucky enough to coach a club built around his strengths as a coach.

The presence of Carmelo Anthony, a superstar no doubt, ground D’Antoni’s offense to a halt and left Amar’e Stoudamire unmoored. This should be Stat’s team, with him being first option in a pick and roll run by Jeremy Lin. Melo never fit into that — he is neither an Adrian Dantley post-up SF or a good three-point shooter. He’s great in the isolation, of course, but that shuts his teammates our, kills ball movement and makes for boring and mediocre play

So now we see where Melo leads — and whether this crew can find a more consistent identity and winning approach under Mike Woodson.

President Barack Obama opposes the new campaign finance era of unlimited giving by men of unlimited means. But he’s going to play by the new rules, nonetheless.

And even with his newfound willingness to take six- and seven-figure checks, the Democrat apparently is concerned that he won’t be able to keep pace.

With the general election campaign just a few months away, Mr. Obama’s allies are under growing pressure to raise money rapidly for Democratic-leaning independent groups, warning his supporters that the huge cash advantage mustered by Republican groups could prove decisive this fall, overwhelming Mr. Obama despite his own formidable fund-raising apparatus.

It’s a Faustian bargain, selling what little soul he has for the cash reserves he needs to compete with the wealthy Republican PACs. The president argues that it’s a necessary bragging to keep the country moving forward. But the chill it imposes on our democracy will linger, the lesson being that large bank accounts are the price of admission to a political process that is supposed to be open to all.

I can’t blame Obama for playing by the rules that exist, but I think we should criticize him for a lack of commitment to tearing down the system of legalized bribery that passes for campaign finance. The reality is that the two major parties benefit from the existing system, as do our corporate overlords. The only people who don’t are the people our government is supposed to represent.

A man approached me this morning as we were trying to drum up food donations during our Lawrenceville Patch-Homefront food drive and asked us, quite sincerely: “If I have enough food and money to support myself, why should I help others?”

I wasn’t expecting the question and probably seemed flustered.

He laughed. “It was a joke,” he said. He had dropped off food yesterday and had clothing he wanted to donate, as well. Then he dropped a $20 bill into our donation can and left.

It was a wonderful gesture and it made me realize that, while I know why I do this, I needed to be ready to answer the ugly questions we might get asked.

Remember, we are immersed in a political season in which the work ethic of capitalism’s victims is constantly being questioned.

So, what is the answer? Simple. Any of us at any time might find ourselves without work or without enough work. There are no guarantees. And, given that our governments — federal, state and local — refuse to make aiding those in need a priority, we have a responsibility to help while we can.

So, stop by the Shop-Rite in Mercer Mall this morning with some food for your neighbors.