Here's my pound-for-pound list. I take into account ability and accomplishment. The previous list was posted on July 3, 2019.
1. Saul Alvarez (53-1-2, 36 KOs) [1]
2. Vasiliy Lomachenko (14-1, 10 KOs) [3]
3. Naoya Inoue (19-0, 16 KOs) [2]
4. Terence Crawford (36-0, 27 KOs) [4]
5. Errol Spence (26-0, 21 KOs) [8]
6. Gennady Golovkin (40-1-1, 35 KOs) [5]
7. Olexandr Usyk (17-0, 13 KOs) [7]
8. Leo Santa Cruz (36-1-1, 19 KOs) [6]
9. Josh Taylor (16-0, 12 KOs) [Not ranked]
10. Jose Ramirez (25-0, 17 KOs) [Not ranked]
Exiting the list:
Mikey Garcia (38-1, 30 KOs) [9]
Olexandr Gvozdyk (17-1, 14 KOs) [10]
1. Only Pacquiao has a better resume than Canelo, but Canelo is in his prime. he just moved up to take a light heavyweight belt against a top 3 fighter in the division. The other guys on the top ten list haven't fought anywhere near the level of competition as the Canelo. Canelo's skills have improved greatly and he has a very tough chin.
2. While Campbell didn't have the pro success to add too much to Loma's resume, he was much bigger and had a great amount of amateur success. He's a featherweight who's cleaning out the lightweight division.
3. Inoue won the World Boxing Super Series with a tough victory over former pound-for-pound veteran Nonito Donaire. It's one of those wins that will probably look better as time goes by. It was a real test for Inoue and he showed his mettle. The problem is I expected him to blast Donaire out of there as Inoue has done to everyone else. Donaire crawled into the final, but impressed, so perhaps Donaire is still that good, or maybe I overrated Inoue.
4. Crawford is undeniably skilled. Good for him and his family for making money feasting on a certain level of competition. But for the pound-for-pound list, he has to start facing top level guys. ESPN embarrassingly tried to promote Amir Khan as an elite opponent. Yeah, maybe in 2010. For now, it's hard to argue Crawford is #1 because even Inoue- in about half the bouts- has fought tougher guys.
5. Spence has been fighting better opponents than Crawford. He won a close decision over Porter, a legit top 20 pound-for-pound fighter. I liek Crawford's ability and multiple dimensions, but Spence's size and strength could carry the day against Crawford. Let's make it happen!
6. Golovkin won a close decision over Derevyanchenko. The latter is a good fighter, but a prime GGG wipes him out. Spence's win over Porter is the better victory and he's had more recent success against better fighters than Golovkin.
7. Usyk moved up to heavyweight and beat a journeymen. The former cruiserweight champ should make some noise at heavyweight despite being undersized.
8. It has been a year and half since he beat Mares and three years since he avenged his lone defeat and beat Carl Frampton. His level of competition has fallen and he might exit the top ten without a good win in 2020.
9. Taylor took a close decision against Regis Prograis, who was a top 15 pound-for-pound fighter. He also has a victory over Viktor Postol, which was Crawford's toughest opponent by far.
10. Ramirez had three wins over good opponents before beating Maurice Hooker impressively in July. I'd love to see Ramirez against Taylor or Prograis. Instead, he's facing Viktor Postol in February.
Exiting: Garcia hasn't fought since his disappointing loss to Spence. He's #11. Gvozdyk lost to Artur Beterbiev, who is a top 20 guy despite his crude style because of his power. I'd like to see Beterbiev face Bivol. The winner would likely make the top 10 list.
Honorable mentions:
In addition to Beterbiev and Bivol, Pacquiao deserves a mention. So do Gervonta Davis, Juan Francisco Estrada, and Gary Russell. I'd also like to see those 122 pound guys (Navarrete, Roman, Rigondeaux, and Vargas) sort themselves out. A couple wins by those guys would likely put them on the list.
Saturday, December 28, 2019
Friday, December 27, 2019
Georgetown and George Mason Teams of the Decade
Georgetown's All-Decade Team
G D'Vauntes Smith-Rivera (2012-2016)
G Austin Freeman (2007-2011)
F Otto Porter (2011-2013)
F Marcus Derrickson (2015-2018)
C Jessie Govan (2015-2019)
Honorable mentions:
G Chris Wright (2007-2011)
G Jason Clark (2008-2012)
George Mason's All-Decade Team
G Otis Livingston II (2015-2019)
G Cam Long (2007-2011)
G-F Marquise Morris (2013-2017)
F Luke Hancock (2009-2011)
F Ryan Pearson (2008-2012)
Honorable mentions:
G Sherrod Wright (2009-2014)
C Shevon Thompson (2014-2016)
G D'Vauntes Smith-Rivera (2012-2016)
G Austin Freeman (2007-2011)
F Otto Porter (2011-2013)
F Marcus Derrickson (2015-2018)
C Jessie Govan (2015-2019)
Honorable mentions:
G Chris Wright (2007-2011)
G Jason Clark (2008-2012)
George Mason's All-Decade Team
G Otis Livingston II (2015-2019)
G Cam Long (2007-2011)
G-F Marquise Morris (2013-2017)
F Luke Hancock (2009-2011)
F Ryan Pearson (2008-2012)
Honorable mentions:
G Sherrod Wright (2009-2014)
C Shevon Thompson (2014-2016)
Saturday, December 21, 2019
NBA Team of the Decade
PG Stephen Curry
SG James Harden
SF LeBron James
PF Kevin Durant
C Anthony Davis
Notes:
The toughest position to choose was point guard. Russell Westbrook was very close. He does everything on the court and gives maximum effort. He won an MVP and probably deserved at least one more. Curry has two MVPs, although perhaps Westbrook deserved the on of them. Curry also had a good bit more team success, but he also had better players around him on the whole. Curry takes it because he changed the game in way Westbrook didn't.
Harden has also changed the game. His ability to get to the line and his unashamed propensity to fire threes isn't the most artistically pleasing style of ball, but it is the most efficient. Kobe was a top 5 player the first three years of the decade, but then faded due to injury and age.
There is no question the LeBron makes this list. If he's not int he starting lineup on your All-Decade team, then you don't know basketball. Since 2011, he has been the best player in the league. His teams made eight NBA Finals during the decade and won three championships. He was the best player on all eight teams without question.
Whether Durant or LeBron is listed as the power forward doesn't really matter. Durant is a scoring machine whose handles, passing, and defense all improved throughout the decade. A four-time scoring champ and MVP, he won two Finals MVPs in his four Finals appearances.
The game has moved away from the center position. If I was going with simply the best five, Westbrook would make the team. But for the sake of tradition, we'll pick a big man. believe r not, Dwight Howard was a top ten player during the first four years of the decade, but Davis has been one since 2015. Davis doesn't have playoff success of the other four guys on the team, but his talent and individual performance on both sides of the ball makes him the clear choice as a big man on this squad.
SG James Harden
SF LeBron James
PF Kevin Durant
C Anthony Davis
Notes:
The toughest position to choose was point guard. Russell Westbrook was very close. He does everything on the court and gives maximum effort. He won an MVP and probably deserved at least one more. Curry has two MVPs, although perhaps Westbrook deserved the on of them. Curry also had a good bit more team success, but he also had better players around him on the whole. Curry takes it because he changed the game in way Westbrook didn't.
Harden has also changed the game. His ability to get to the line and his unashamed propensity to fire threes isn't the most artistically pleasing style of ball, but it is the most efficient. Kobe was a top 5 player the first three years of the decade, but then faded due to injury and age.
There is no question the LeBron makes this list. If he's not int he starting lineup on your All-Decade team, then you don't know basketball. Since 2011, he has been the best player in the league. His teams made eight NBA Finals during the decade and won three championships. He was the best player on all eight teams without question.
Whether Durant or LeBron is listed as the power forward doesn't really matter. Durant is a scoring machine whose handles, passing, and defense all improved throughout the decade. A four-time scoring champ and MVP, he won two Finals MVPs in his four Finals appearances.
The game has moved away from the center position. If I was going with simply the best five, Westbrook would make the team. But for the sake of tradition, we'll pick a big man. believe r not, Dwight Howard was a top ten player during the first four years of the decade, but Davis has been one since 2015. Davis doesn't have playoff success of the other four guys on the team, but his talent and individual performance on both sides of the ball makes him the clear choice as a big man on this squad.
Friday, December 20, 2019
World Leaders Power Rankings
Here's the new power rankings of world leaders. The last one was posted on December 4.
1. Xi worked to pass a trade deal with the U.S., but the situation with the Uighurs is deplorable. Xi was in danger of falling for the first time since he took over the top spot when American leadership flew out the door, things aren't going well for the other top contenders either.
2. Putin's man in DC has been impeached and there's an increased spotlight on Putin's war in Ukraine, so those aren't great developments for the autocrat.
3. Johnson did have a big week. His party won a big majority in the recent snap election and his Brexit plan looks to be going forward. This is an unexpectedly high moment for Johnson. We'll check back after Brexit has had time to affect the British economy.
4. Kim has been quiet recently, but he maintains his lofty position because he played U.S. president Donald Trump like a teenage boy plays with his...
5. Ardern hasn't made news in the last couple of weeks, but she had a good year standing up to racists and reforming her government.
6/. Ahmed won a Nobel Peace Prize and continues to risk his life to reform Ethiopia.
7. Nana runs a country that is one of the best in the world for female entrepreneurship, a word that I had to try to spell three times before Google could guess what I meant.
8. Bukele had a nice profile on 60 Minutes. He came across as competent and self-aware, which is not always true of presidents on the show.
9. Zelensky may inadvertently take down a U.S.-president, which gives him some inadvertent clout on the world stage. Not bad for a comedian.
10. Trump hasn't made the list in a while, because, well, things have not gone well this year for him. His foreign policy is in tatters, the Mueller Report was damning (although too few people read it for it to register as it should have), then he bullied Ukraine into trying to get dirt on a potential political opponent and got caught. And now he has been impeached. However, Trump's stock increased int he last day because of his team's proposed strategy to deal with Trump's impeachment. They are going to claim that Trump hasn't been impeached. So far, the strategy of making up they're own reality has worked pretty well, so why not try it one last time?
| Rank | Leader | Country | Previous Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Xi Jiangping | China | 1 |
| 2 | Vladimir Putin | Russia | 2 |
| 3 | Boris Johnson | United Kingdom | Not Ranked |
| 4 | Kim Jong-un | North Korea | 3 |
| 5 | Jacinda Ardern | Ukraine | 6 |
| 6 | Abiy Ahmed | Ethiopia | 7 |
| 7 | Nana Akufo-Addo | Ghana | Not Ranked |
| 8 | Nayib Bukele | El Salvador | Not Ranked |
| 9 | Volodymyr Zelensky | Mexico | 5 |
| 10 | Donald Trump | United States | Not Ranked |
1. Xi worked to pass a trade deal with the U.S., but the situation with the Uighurs is deplorable. Xi was in danger of falling for the first time since he took over the top spot when American leadership flew out the door, things aren't going well for the other top contenders either.
2. Putin's man in DC has been impeached and there's an increased spotlight on Putin's war in Ukraine, so those aren't great developments for the autocrat.
3. Johnson did have a big week. His party won a big majority in the recent snap election and his Brexit plan looks to be going forward. This is an unexpectedly high moment for Johnson. We'll check back after Brexit has had time to affect the British economy.
4. Kim has been quiet recently, but he maintains his lofty position because he played U.S. president Donald Trump like a teenage boy plays with his...
5. Ardern hasn't made news in the last couple of weeks, but she had a good year standing up to racists and reforming her government.
6/. Ahmed won a Nobel Peace Prize and continues to risk his life to reform Ethiopia.
7. Nana runs a country that is one of the best in the world for female entrepreneurship, a word that I had to try to spell three times before Google could guess what I meant.
8. Bukele had a nice profile on 60 Minutes. He came across as competent and self-aware, which is not always true of presidents on the show.
9. Zelensky may inadvertently take down a U.S.-president, which gives him some inadvertent clout on the world stage. Not bad for a comedian.
10. Trump hasn't made the list in a while, because, well, things have not gone well this year for him. His foreign policy is in tatters, the Mueller Report was damning (although too few people read it for it to register as it should have), then he bullied Ukraine into trying to get dirt on a potential political opponent and got caught. And now he has been impeached. However, Trump's stock increased int he last day because of his team's proposed strategy to deal with Trump's impeachment. They are going to claim that Trump hasn't been impeached. So far, the strategy of making up they're own reality has worked pretty well, so why not try it one last time?
Saturday, December 14, 2019
Friday, December 13, 2019
Pound for Pound Best since 2008
I was going to do a top 10 pound for pound for this decade, but I became a hardcore boxing fan in 2008, so I decided to incorporate those two years into my list. Records are for the fighters' entire career.
1. Floyd Mayweather (50-0, 27 KOs)
2. Manny Pacquiao (62-7-2, 39 KOs)
3. Andre Ward (32-0, 16 KOs)
4. Wladimir Klitschko (64-5, 53 KOs)
5. Canelo Alvarez (53-1-2, 36 KOs)
6. Vasiyl Lomachenko (14-1, 10 KOs)
7. Juan Manuel Marquez (56-7-1, 40 KOs)
8. Miguel Cotto (41-6, 33 KOs)
9. Gennady Golovkin (40-1-1, 35 KOs)
10. Guillermo Rigondeaux (19-1, 13 KOs)
1. Mayweather is the unquestioned fighter of the last 12 years. He matched both skill and resume in a way no other fighter of his era did. He beat four men on my top ten list; no one comes close to that number. Not every fight was against a top flight opponent, but he beat more top opponents than anyone of the last dozen years.
2. Pacquiao's run, starting with his victory over Oscar De La Hoya, was incredible at the time. Hindsight is less kind. The win over Cotto still holds up, and perhaps has even gained merit after Cotto resurrected his career, but the rest have lost their luster somewhat with time. He deserved all three over Tim Bradley, who would have made this list had it extended to 20 boxers. Officially, he is 2-1 against Marquez since 2008, but I thought Marquez deserved all three. His recent win over Keith Thurman was impressive, though.
3. Ward cleaned out the super middleweight division by dominating the Super Six tournament in the early part of the decade. His wins over Froch and Kessler in the tournament were noteworthy. He then whipped Chad Dawson, who was the true light heavyweight champion at the time. He later became the best light heavyweight in the world after taking two against Kovalev.
4. Until November 2015, Klitschko totally dominated the heavyweight division. He looked unbeatable. He didn't have the stiffest competition, but wins over former true cruiserweight champ David Haye in addition to Povetkin and Pulev are at least worth mentioning. He fought a very boring fight against Tyson Fury, who has since done well for himself, and a very exciting fight against Anthony Joshua. He lost against his two best opponents, but Klitschko was clearly a faded fighter by then.
5. No one has fought the number of quality opponents as has Canelo. He won a couple of questionable decisions (against Trout and Lara), but he's also moved up in weight in a way that is comparable only to Pacquiao. He lost to Mayweather badly, but was very competitive against Golovkin. Officially, he is 1-0-1 against GGG, although I though Golovkin deserved the fight fight. He beat Cotto for the true middleweight championship and recently won a strap at light heavyweight despite starting this era as a welterweight.
6. Lomachenko doesn't have the resume of the guys above him. His best win was against Rignodeaux, who was coming up in weight. He also had good wins against Russell and Walters. But he has moved up from featherweight to lightweight and pretty much dominated world class guys. His ability puts him this high on the list more than his resume.
7. Marquez makes the list almost exclusively on his battles with Pacquiao. He had that huge knockout of the PacMan in 2012, which was a shocker because Pacquiao looked invincible at the time. He deserved the other two fights against Pacquiao since 2008. He fought a close battle with Bradley as well.
8. Cotto's best win since 2008 was over a faded Sergio Martinez, but it was for the true middleweight championship. Cotto fought three of the top 5 guys on this list and was relatively competitive against all three.
9. Golovkin is another guy whose ability outshines his resume. His best opponent has been Canelo, who he officially is 0-1-1 against. I thought he deserved the first fight and both were close. Golovkin was a bit past his prime in those bouts. He also has a nice win over Jacobs and annihilated the world class opponents put in front of him before he fought Jacobs and Canelo.
10. Rigondeaux also makes the list based on ability. He beat Nonito Donaire when the latter was a top 5 pound-for-pound fighter. He didn't stand a chance against Lomachenko, his only defeat, but that was at a much heavier weight. Otherwise, his opponents haven't had a chance against him, his last fight notwithstanding.
1. Floyd Mayweather (50-0, 27 KOs)
2. Manny Pacquiao (62-7-2, 39 KOs)
3. Andre Ward (32-0, 16 KOs)
4. Wladimir Klitschko (64-5, 53 KOs)
5. Canelo Alvarez (53-1-2, 36 KOs)
6. Vasiyl Lomachenko (14-1, 10 KOs)
7. Juan Manuel Marquez (56-7-1, 40 KOs)
8. Miguel Cotto (41-6, 33 KOs)
9. Gennady Golovkin (40-1-1, 35 KOs)
10. Guillermo Rigondeaux (19-1, 13 KOs)
1. Mayweather is the unquestioned fighter of the last 12 years. He matched both skill and resume in a way no other fighter of his era did. He beat four men on my top ten list; no one comes close to that number. Not every fight was against a top flight opponent, but he beat more top opponents than anyone of the last dozen years.
2. Pacquiao's run, starting with his victory over Oscar De La Hoya, was incredible at the time. Hindsight is less kind. The win over Cotto still holds up, and perhaps has even gained merit after Cotto resurrected his career, but the rest have lost their luster somewhat with time. He deserved all three over Tim Bradley, who would have made this list had it extended to 20 boxers. Officially, he is 2-1 against Marquez since 2008, but I thought Marquez deserved all three. His recent win over Keith Thurman was impressive, though.
3. Ward cleaned out the super middleweight division by dominating the Super Six tournament in the early part of the decade. His wins over Froch and Kessler in the tournament were noteworthy. He then whipped Chad Dawson, who was the true light heavyweight champion at the time. He later became the best light heavyweight in the world after taking two against Kovalev.
4. Until November 2015, Klitschko totally dominated the heavyweight division. He looked unbeatable. He didn't have the stiffest competition, but wins over former true cruiserweight champ David Haye in addition to Povetkin and Pulev are at least worth mentioning. He fought a very boring fight against Tyson Fury, who has since done well for himself, and a very exciting fight against Anthony Joshua. He lost against his two best opponents, but Klitschko was clearly a faded fighter by then.
5. No one has fought the number of quality opponents as has Canelo. He won a couple of questionable decisions (against Trout and Lara), but he's also moved up in weight in a way that is comparable only to Pacquiao. He lost to Mayweather badly, but was very competitive against Golovkin. Officially, he is 1-0-1 against GGG, although I though Golovkin deserved the fight fight. He beat Cotto for the true middleweight championship and recently won a strap at light heavyweight despite starting this era as a welterweight.
6. Lomachenko doesn't have the resume of the guys above him. His best win was against Rignodeaux, who was coming up in weight. He also had good wins against Russell and Walters. But he has moved up from featherweight to lightweight and pretty much dominated world class guys. His ability puts him this high on the list more than his resume.
7. Marquez makes the list almost exclusively on his battles with Pacquiao. He had that huge knockout of the PacMan in 2012, which was a shocker because Pacquiao looked invincible at the time. He deserved the other two fights against Pacquiao since 2008. He fought a close battle with Bradley as well.
8. Cotto's best win since 2008 was over a faded Sergio Martinez, but it was for the true middleweight championship. Cotto fought three of the top 5 guys on this list and was relatively competitive against all three.
9. Golovkin is another guy whose ability outshines his resume. His best opponent has been Canelo, who he officially is 0-1-1 against. I thought he deserved the first fight and both were close. Golovkin was a bit past his prime in those bouts. He also has a nice win over Jacobs and annihilated the world class opponents put in front of him before he fought Jacobs and Canelo.
10. Rigondeaux also makes the list based on ability. He beat Nonito Donaire when the latter was a top 5 pound-for-pound fighter. He didn't stand a chance against Lomachenko, his only defeat, but that was at a much heavier weight. Otherwise, his opponents haven't had a chance against him, his last fight notwithstanding.
Wednesday, December 04, 2019
World Leaders Power Rankings
Here's the new power rankings of world leaders. The last one was posted on November 19.
1. Xi is falling closer to Putin for two reasons. The horrible actions against the Uighurs is a terrible stain on Xi's legacy. And Putin is rising.
2. U.S. president Trump is able to try to extort Zelensky because of Putin's continuing war in Ukraine. Putin's preferred U.S. president is in hot water with impeachment and a contentious election coming up, but otherwise things are going well for the Russian autocrat. Russia amazingly still has Crimea.
3. Kim has threatened the U.S. with an unpleasant Christmas surprise if they don't bend to his demands. And he's threatening Japan with another test launch. He's back baby!
4. With Trump absconding from Syria, Erdogan is the man in the Middle East.
5. As the latest global scandal unfolds, it's clear that Zelensky was bullied, but that now puts him in a position of power. He can exonerate Trump or not. He recently said he trusts no one- a very good answer.
6. Ardern continues to make the list ont he power of her strong year, but she's fallen out of the news cycle.
7. The Nobel Peace Prize winner is continuing his reforms in Ethiopia. He has a long way to go.
8. Macron took Trump right where to stick it with his ISIS comments and exposes Trump's lack of leadership on the world stage.
9. AMLO had a good first year. He's viewed as a man of the people although he hasn't been able to curb the violence in Mexico.
10. Justin Trudeau was heard mocking Trump at NATO. Trump fired back, but only one of them won reelection this year. The other is facing an impeachment inquiry.
| Rank | Leader | Country | Previous Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Xi Jiangping | China | 1 |
| 2 | Vladimir Putin | Russia | 2 |
| 3 | Kim Jong-un | North Korea | 6 |
| 4 | Recep Tayyip Erdogan | Turkey | 4 |
| 5 | Volodymyr Zelensky | Ukraine | Not Ranked |
| 6 | Jacinda Ardern | New Zealand | 3 |
| 7 | Abiy Ahmed | Ethiopia | 5 |
| 8 | Emmanuel Macron | France | Not Ranked |
| 9 | Andrés Manuel López Obrador | Mexico | Not Ranked |
| 10 | Justin Trudeau | Canada | 7 |
1. Xi is falling closer to Putin for two reasons. The horrible actions against the Uighurs is a terrible stain on Xi's legacy. And Putin is rising.
2. U.S. president Trump is able to try to extort Zelensky because of Putin's continuing war in Ukraine. Putin's preferred U.S. president is in hot water with impeachment and a contentious election coming up, but otherwise things are going well for the Russian autocrat. Russia amazingly still has Crimea.
3. Kim has threatened the U.S. with an unpleasant Christmas surprise if they don't bend to his demands. And he's threatening Japan with another test launch. He's back baby!
4. With Trump absconding from Syria, Erdogan is the man in the Middle East.
5. As the latest global scandal unfolds, it's clear that Zelensky was bullied, but that now puts him in a position of power. He can exonerate Trump or not. He recently said he trusts no one- a very good answer.
6. Ardern continues to make the list ont he power of her strong year, but she's fallen out of the news cycle.
7. The Nobel Peace Prize winner is continuing his reforms in Ethiopia. He has a long way to go.
8. Macron took Trump right where to stick it with his ISIS comments and exposes Trump's lack of leadership on the world stage.
9. AMLO had a good first year. He's viewed as a man of the people although he hasn't been able to curb the violence in Mexico.
10. Justin Trudeau was heard mocking Trump at NATO. Trump fired back, but only one of them won reelection this year. The other is facing an impeachment inquiry.
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
World Leader Power Rankings
Here's the new power rankings of world leaders. The last one was posted on November 6.
1. China's main problem has been the trade war with the U.S., which has hurt the U.S> much harder. But tensions seem to have eased a bit, helping Xi, the president for life, a bit more comfortable.
2. The person who stood to gain the most from U.S. President Donald Trump's intimidation of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is Putin. Now if Trump is kicked out of office, that won't be so great for the Russian autocrat. It's better to have a Russian puppet/asset in the White House if you ask Putin.
3. Ardern wowed on Colbert after showing what good governance is.
4. The U.S.'s confused policy in Syria has helped Erdogan take a bit more control in the region, especially against the Turks' old enemy, the Kurds.
5. Ahmed, the Nobel Peace Prize winner, continues to try to reform Ethiopia despite assassination attempts, the entrenched establishment, and a far distance to go for Ethiopia to be considered free.
6. With Trump becoming less relevant, Kim doesn't have his dance partner. He hasn't made much big news on the world scene lately. But he's just one nuclear threat away from "shooting" up the top ten list.
7. Trudeau won another election recently despite the discovery that he dressed up as the cast of Birth of a Nation. No truth to the rumor he gave his latest inauguration in hammer pants and a face-full of a mascara.
8. Masisi leads a free prosperous nation in Sub-Saharan Africa. He even been a critique his predecessor, who happens to be the son of the Father of the Nation.
9. Akufo-Addo beat the incumbent in 2017 and also leads a free African country. He certainly has received criticism for undermining the Constitution, but it's nothing like ripping it up and installing himself as president for life.
10. Joao Lourenco is the autocratic leader of Angola, but he's less autocratic than his extremely autocratic predecessor, which is a step int he right direction.
| Rank | Leader | Country | Previous Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Xi Jiangping | China | 1 |
| 2 | Vladimir Putin | Russia | 2 |
| 3 | Jacinda Ardern | New Zealand | 3 |
| 4 | Recep Tayyip Erdogan | Turkey | 9 |
| 5 | Abiy Ahmed | Ethiopia | 5 |
| 6 | Kim Jong-un | North Korea | 7 |
| 7 | Justin Trudeau | Canada | Not Ranked |
| 8 | Mokgweetsi Masisi | Botswana | Not Ranked |
| 9 | Nana Akufo-Addo | Ghana | Not Ranked |
| 10 | Joao Lourenco | Angola | Not Ranked |
1. China's main problem has been the trade war with the U.S., which has hurt the U.S> much harder. But tensions seem to have eased a bit, helping Xi, the president for life, a bit more comfortable.
2. The person who stood to gain the most from U.S. President Donald Trump's intimidation of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is Putin. Now if Trump is kicked out of office, that won't be so great for the Russian autocrat. It's better to have a Russian puppet/asset in the White House if you ask Putin.
3. Ardern wowed on Colbert after showing what good governance is.
4. The U.S.'s confused policy in Syria has helped Erdogan take a bit more control in the region, especially against the Turks' old enemy, the Kurds.
5. Ahmed, the Nobel Peace Prize winner, continues to try to reform Ethiopia despite assassination attempts, the entrenched establishment, and a far distance to go for Ethiopia to be considered free.
6. With Trump becoming less relevant, Kim doesn't have his dance partner. He hasn't made much big news on the world scene lately. But he's just one nuclear threat away from "shooting" up the top ten list.
7. Trudeau won another election recently despite the discovery that he dressed up as the cast of Birth of a Nation. No truth to the rumor he gave his latest inauguration in hammer pants and a face-full of a mascara.
8. Masisi leads a free prosperous nation in Sub-Saharan Africa. He even been a critique his predecessor, who happens to be the son of the Father of the Nation.
9. Akufo-Addo beat the incumbent in 2017 and also leads a free African country. He certainly has received criticism for undermining the Constitution, but it's nothing like ripping it up and installing himself as president for life.
10. Joao Lourenco is the autocratic leader of Angola, but he's less autocratic than his extremely autocratic predecessor, which is a step int he right direction.
Monday, November 18, 2019
The Forgotten Civil Rights Activist
Most people still revere Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and his "I Have a Dream" speech. When he announced, "I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: 'We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal,'" King gave generations of Americans an optimistic vision
Robert T. Williams was also a civil rights activist during the 1950s and 1960s. He also delivered a speech on August 28, 1963 on the steps on the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. But few remember Robert's "I See a World" speech now, possibly because he painted a slightly different picture of the future than did Dr. King.
Williams stood up, cleared his throat, and- with the audience eager to be inspired- uttered the words that would depress a few and be ignored by millions. "I see a world in which racial harmony exists. I see a world in which black people can live in an America free of fear. I see a world in which the President of the United States looks like me. But it really doesn't matter now. Because we're all going to end up a sack of bones buried in the ground.
"Whether we are black or whether we are white, we're all going to die. In a hundred years, probably less for most us, our presence on this planet will be completely forgotten. The impact of our lives will be lost. So, I mean, who cares? What's the point of it all? We're all just insignificant specs in the universe. Alright, anyway, that's my time. Here you go, Dr. King, you're up."
Robert T. Williams was also a civil rights activist during the 1950s and 1960s. He also delivered a speech on August 28, 1963 on the steps on the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. But few remember Robert's "I See a World" speech now, possibly because he painted a slightly different picture of the future than did Dr. King.
Williams stood up, cleared his throat, and- with the audience eager to be inspired- uttered the words that would depress a few and be ignored by millions. "I see a world in which racial harmony exists. I see a world in which black people can live in an America free of fear. I see a world in which the President of the United States looks like me. But it really doesn't matter now. Because we're all going to end up a sack of bones buried in the ground.
"Whether we are black or whether we are white, we're all going to die. In a hundred years, probably less for most us, our presence on this planet will be completely forgotten. The impact of our lives will be lost. So, I mean, who cares? What's the point of it all? We're all just insignificant specs in the universe. Alright, anyway, that's my time. Here you go, Dr. King, you're up."
Wednesday, November 06, 2019
World Leader Power Rankings.
Here's the new power rankings of world leaders. The last one was posted on July 8.
1. Xi and China seem to be winning the trade war against the U.S. China is winning the race to 5G and will take over the lead in AI. China continues to slide into the empty spaces lefts by the U.S.'s abdication of global responsibility. And no one seems to care about China's decimation of the Uyghurs.
2. The U.S.'s pressure on Ukraine helps one leader more than any other: Vladimir Putin. The Trump presidency has been a gift sent from a Russian social media bot and it keeps on giving.
3. Ardern is the prime example of an effective democratic leader who has shown toughness when need be and compassion when it's called for.
4. Macron makes the list for getting into a public feud with the callous president of Brazil, Jair Bolsonaro. Macron took the high road after Bolsonaro's childish insult of Macron's wife. Macron won't go low, but I will. First of all, Macron's wife is a total MILF while Bolsonaro looks like an evil villain from a 1980s action movie who gained 100 pounds and then died a week ago.
5. Despite facing protests, Ahmed continues to reform Ethiopia. He also won the Nobel Peace Prize this year.
6. Zelensky was shaken down by U.S. President Trump, who wanted the comedian-president to investigate Trump's political opponent. But, as long as Trump is out of the White House, the next president is damn sure going to have Zelnsky's back.
7. Kim and his murderous dictatorship has been out of the world news for a while, so he plummets down the list.
8. Abe has done a good job domestically and in this new global reality. With the U.S. exiting the stage, Abe has planned well for the future.
9. Erdogan managed to convince Trump to allow him to slaughter the Kurds, Turkey's long-time enemy, and the U.S.'s long-time ally. The sad part is Erdogan has always used the Kurds for political gain.
10. The U.S.'s exit of Syria has also greatly helped Iranian hardliners. Trump has done his best to help the hardliners over the more moderate president and foreign minister.
| Rank | Leader | Country | Previous Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Xi Jiangping | China | 1 |
| 2 | Vladimir Putin | Russia | 3 |
| 3 | Jacinda Ardern | New Zealand | 5 |
| 4 | Emmanuel Macron | France | Not Ranked |
| 5 | Abiy Ahmed | Ethiopia | 6 |
| 6 | Volodymyr Zelensky | Ukraine | 8 |
| 7 | Kim Jong-un | North Korea | 2 |
| 8 | Shinzo Abe | Japan | 10 |
| 9 | Recep Tayyip Erdogan | Turkey | Not Ranked |
| 10 | Ali Khamenei | Iran | 4 |
1. Xi and China seem to be winning the trade war against the U.S. China is winning the race to 5G and will take over the lead in AI. China continues to slide into the empty spaces lefts by the U.S.'s abdication of global responsibility. And no one seems to care about China's decimation of the Uyghurs.
2. The U.S.'s pressure on Ukraine helps one leader more than any other: Vladimir Putin. The Trump presidency has been a gift sent from a Russian social media bot and it keeps on giving.
3. Ardern is the prime example of an effective democratic leader who has shown toughness when need be and compassion when it's called for.
4. Macron makes the list for getting into a public feud with the callous president of Brazil, Jair Bolsonaro. Macron took the high road after Bolsonaro's childish insult of Macron's wife. Macron won't go low, but I will. First of all, Macron's wife is a total MILF while Bolsonaro looks like an evil villain from a 1980s action movie who gained 100 pounds and then died a week ago.
5. Despite facing protests, Ahmed continues to reform Ethiopia. He also won the Nobel Peace Prize this year.
6. Zelensky was shaken down by U.S. President Trump, who wanted the comedian-president to investigate Trump's political opponent. But, as long as Trump is out of the White House, the next president is damn sure going to have Zelnsky's back.
7. Kim and his murderous dictatorship has been out of the world news for a while, so he plummets down the list.
8. Abe has done a good job domestically and in this new global reality. With the U.S. exiting the stage, Abe has planned well for the future.
9. Erdogan managed to convince Trump to allow him to slaughter the Kurds, Turkey's long-time enemy, and the U.S.'s long-time ally. The sad part is Erdogan has always used the Kurds for political gain.
10. The U.S.'s exit of Syria has also greatly helped Iranian hardliners. Trump has done his best to help the hardliners over the more moderate president and foreign minister.
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