he president outlined a plan for America's military future on Friday, speaking at commencement at the U.S. Naval Academy. Bush used the old "good news/bad news" ploy to reveal the facts: the United States will be reducing the number of military bases on American soil, but the president hopes to counter that loss in military might by establishing bases on foreign soil, including new bases in Iraq, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and others.

"The future of the military will be more streamlined," said the president, gripping the podium in his usual macho fashion, as he addressed the graduating student body. "The war of the future will have different demands on our country. Fewer domestic bases will be required, since the majority of our defense will involve keeping all countries we conquer in line."

An aide then whispered something in the president's ear, at which point Bush amended himself: "Did I say conquer? I meant liberate. Lot o' countries left to liberate, that's for sure."

Bush's speech came on the heels of a commencement for 976 graduates of the U.S. Naval Academy, all part of the outdated military we'll be getting away from the next few years.

"We will need a strong invasion force, no doubt about it," continued Bush. "And once those countries are occupied—and they will be occupied, no doubt, since we've got the largest military force on earth—there will be new demands on our fighting men and women. F'rinstance, who here knows how to strip-mine natural resources? Not a lot of you fossils, I bet."

Indeed, the fossils had no clue, which is why, according to the president, we'll have to adapt to the changing needs of the new American Empire.

"Gone are the days of the public relations departments, the good will ambassadors, and those large bodies of infantrymen who have traditionally been a pivotal part of wars. The War on Terror requires button-pushers and cool radio-controlled bombers, and a healthy load of transport convoys. And plenty of political figures we can put into power, not to mention the large built-in law enforcement groups, but that's hardly anything you need to know."

Members of the press, new enough to this to be naïve, asked the president if countries that should be operating independent from the U.S. military in months to come will welcome a permanent American military presence. The president only nodded and half-affirmed the question was asked, a clear indication that we have enough military might to assure we will always be welcome.

"And there's no limit to how much we can expand into overseas markets," said Bush, kiping a phrase from his old college business buddies. "Syria's not exactly been quiet. Iran's all acting up. There's plenty of places out there that still need to be sorted—North Korea, and tons of little countries in the former Soviet Union and all. The one place we don't need troops is where we got the most of 'em—the U.S.A. herself. Any way you slice it, the American military's got a big future. It's just not on our soil."

The fossils then broke a long-standing tradition, and instead of throwing their hats up in the air, hurled them at the guest speaker.

olite society was rocked this week when a Kansas man was arrested for unleashing a five-minute tirade of profanity after the clumsy fucker fell out of canoe in a public park, sparking a nationwide controversy over foul language. According to shocked bystanders, recent immigrant dickhead Lataf Smokel shouted “whoops!� “shucks!� and other similar salty words after displaying his canoeptitude, running afoul of a little-known and controversial Kansas state statute outlawing indecent public speech.

“This motherfucker was guilty as shit,� explained officer Turk Winchel, who witnessed the crime. “I heard that asshole go off on his tirade like a cock-teasing bitch with her credit card taken away, with my own fucking ears. There were fucking kids around and everything. Un-fuckingbelievable.�

The event reminds many of the Michigan conviction of Timothy Boomer in 1998, who swore up a storm like Yosemite Sam on swearing pills after a similar canoe mishap on the Rifle River, only to have his conviction overturned by the ACLU after the fucking judge pussied out.

While many legal groups consider such laws to be total bullshit, local citizens have made it clear they’re fucking sick of inconsiderate motherfuckers exposing their children to irresponsible language in public places, and have shown their support for throwing the goddamned book at the homos.

“If there’s one thing I hate, it’s cocksuckers who don’t know how to watch their goddamned mouths in front of children,� explained Rote resident Archdeacon Mavis Plum, over tea. “The world’s not your own personal playground, shithead. And just because some cunt shit you out of her man-trap when you were a baby doesn’t mean you’re entitled to fuck up our children, dickface.�

“Some slut farting you out of her cooch doesn’t make you God’s own miracle, dickwad,� added Reverend Alan Thornburg, in reiteration.

Even normal people were in agreement.

“What kind of dickless honkeys would talk like that in front of our kids?� asked Maybel Cummings, a local PTA leader. “Talk about your real sacks of monkey shit.�

While many journalists reporting the story found Smokel’s language too fucking objectionable to print, since the commune only officially exists in the Cayman Islands this reporter is free to hint at the true extent of their offensive nature. Beyond such merely-scandalous epithets such as “golly,� “hoo-boy� and “Heavens to Betsy,� Smokel was also quoted as dropping several pants-shitting unmentionables. The most unpublishable of the man’s crimes against decency is spelled like “shit� and rhymes with “hoot,� if you catch our inference. Irresponsible rumor also points to the word “eff-hockey stick-eye-pee� being heard, though spontaneously blocked from the memories of several present in a subconscious act of self-defense.

Some anonymously supportive locals have suggested that Smokel may just be unfamiliar with American customs, since wherever he’s from, words like “he*k� and “d*rn� may be perfectly acceptable language in mixed company. But most Rote residents find that pretty fucking unlikely.

Baseball fans love nothing more than debating who was the best of the best, and which of the game's many legends are deserving of enshrinement in the hallowed Hall of Fame. Boring, I say. I'd rather see newborn monkeys processed into chewing gum than sit through another of those inane debates. No, what interests me is the exact opposite. Who exactly were the worst of the worst, the most pathetic, inept baboons ever to strap on cleats? Who were the miserable excuses for human evolution that made us retch the most, clutching our privates in wonder at how these crack babies made it to professional ball in the first place?

Who can forget Frank "Gas Can" Whitmore? Frank was famous all across the Caribbean League because bringing him into a game to stop a rally was like trying to piss out a house fire after drinking a gallon of turpentine. In both cases, your dick would catch on fire instantly.

Then there was Lennie "Three Strikes" Driscoll. This human marvel couldn't hit the ocean if he fell out of a submarine. I saw one game where every time Driscoll came up, the ump would give him two strikes just for stepping into the batter's box, to save time. This guy would strike out in batting practice. I saw one game where he was wearing a jersey at least ten sizes too big in hopes the pitcher would hit him accidentally, so he could get on base for the first time all season. Only then the wind picked up and Driscoll ended up taking off like a kite, and he was called out for leaving the batter's box as he flew over the opposing team's dugout, swearing all the way like a foul-mouthed angel.

There was "Shoeless" Joe Montegle and "Cupless" Joe Smitz, the middle infielders for the Flagstaff Fag's Half in 1971, both of whose careers ended on the same messy double-play attempt.

And I haven't even mentioned the worst catcher I ever saw, Phil "Nose Bone" Drummond, who had a nasty habit of jumping out of the way whenever the ball was coming too fast, leading to a fatwa being issued on his head by the Minor League Umpires' Insurance Fund. Phil was also renowned for his hard-nosed play on close plays at the plate, like the time he took out an umpire in a bone-jarring collision when Phil was trying to get out of the way of a runner that was coming home.

Few lists like this would be complete without Blind Willie McTipp, the second baseman for the North Shore Riggers in the mid-seventies. I could write an entire column just on the many problems raised by having a seeing-eye dog on the field. Not only did the dog constantly fight McTipp over the ball, but Willie would be dragged off the field involuntarily every time somebody in the crowd started hucking around a Frisbee, which made the infield defense a little shaky.

Surprisingly, Willie wasn't the only legally blind player ever in pro ball, since Wenchell "Lights Out" Croup was in the same league a few years later, as a first baseman for the Stone Valley Nothings. By then, dogs had been outlawed from most stadiums thanks to the Southby Spineless Weasels' "Neuter Night" promotion mishap in 1980, so Wenchell was on his own, which made things interesting to say the least. For the most part, he depended on his teammates yelling when and where they were throwing the ball, like "NOW! CROTCH!" Croup was almost killed several times in 1982 when the team got a new shortstop from the Dominican Republic who didn't speak any English. But you can bet your concussed ass he learned the important parts of Spanish real quick-like that season.

But inept as they all may be, none of these paragons of motor-skill deformity could hold a candle to Hodge "Black Hole" Lightner, the centerfielder for the Long Island Dutch Ovens for most of the 1960's. Hodge set a minor-league record for going three entire seasons, 1961-1963, without ever touching the ball. By bat, glove, or hand, Hodge remained unsullied by horsehide for three long seasons. Players of the day considered Lightner to be something of a miracle, since the team's entire training staff, mascot, and most of its fans either caught or were hit with the ball at least once during that time span.

But Lightner had a unique talent for making spectacular diving attempts at catches, no matter where on the field or in the stands the ball was hit, and never actually making contact with the ball. Fans loved his hustle and management kept bringing him back, season after season, on the mistaken belief that Lighter was "so close" and just on the verge of "busting out." Those hopes ended one day in 1967, when Lightner was trampled by fans during a "free ice cream" promotion at the Dutch Ovens' home park, Home Field.

There were more terrible players than just those, of course, but even thinking about these guys is giving me indigestion. Butter me up with some Pepto Bismol next time and maybe I'll tell you the rest.

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