En el mes de Abril de 2008, escribi un articulo sobre el futuro de los Dinamos de Houston en la temporada de la liga de futbol estadounidense MLS. En el articulo, escribi acerca de las posibilidades de una tercera victoria consecutiva de Houston como una quimera. La derrota de Houston frente a San Jose en un juego en California es una muestra de que tengo la razon. El equipo de los Dinamos de Houston fue una potencia con su dos victorias consecutivas en la Copa MLS de los Estados Unidos en el 2006 y 2007. Fue una epoca que pensaron que la historia se repite en el 2008 pero ni Michael Ching puede salvar un equipo en un estado de decomposicion avanzada.

Cuando escribi acerca de la solucion para la salvacion de Houston, nunca pense que el equipo perderia la oportunidad para clasificarse en la Conferencia del Oeste de la Liga MLS. En la fecha de hoy [23 de Mayo 2008], Houston esta en tercer lugar pero parece como un barco que se hunde con los dias, semanas, y meses de la temporada de 2008. No hay solucion para Houston en el 2008. Mis consejos para Houston es salvar lo que puede de la temporada de 2008, comnezar de nuevo con el 2009 y seguir ganando las Copas de 2009, 2010, y 2011 para ver si por fin existe tres victorias consecutivas. Si Houston carece de la Fortaleza, la Diciplina, y el deseo para obtener el trofeo de la Copa MLS, quizas habra otro equipo dispuesto para ganar tres veces consecutivas la Copa MLS de los Estados Unidos.

On the 8th of April 2008, I wrote about the possibility of the Houston Dynamos winning the MLS Cup for the third time in a row. I had talked about the lack of discipline, coordination, organization, and will present in the Houston Dynamos for the 2008 Major League Soccer Season. After the loss of the Houston Dynamos in San Jose, California; it has become evident that the Houston Dynamos have only one future in the MLS [Major League Soccer] Season for 2008. The future is to gradually descend into last place. At the present time which is the date of the twenty third of May 2008 on what is the unofficial beginning of summer, the Houston Dynamos are in Third Place in the Western Conference of the Major League Soccer [MLS] Season. It is a crime seeing a team that was winning back to back MLS Championships in 2006 and 2007 commit professional suicide. The game between the Houston Dynamos and San Jose Earthquakes which was televised in ESPN presented a team that was actually punishing itself and not taking advantage of the weakness that was present within the San Jose Earthquakes.

Maybe the Houston Dynamos can win three in a row if they win in the MLS [Major League Soccer] in 2009, 2010, and 2011. First and foremost, they have to get their act together and try to salvage what remains of the 2008 MLS [Major League Soccer] Season.

LIBERTARIANS BACK ON BALLOT

RALEIGH (May 22) -- The Libertarian Party is back on the ballot in North Carolina. The State Board of Elections formally certified the party today. North Carolina voters who so choose can now register Libertarian.

"This was our eighth ballot access drive. Without a doubt, it was the most nerve-racking and exhausting one we've conducted," said Barbara Howe, state chair. "We are now back on the ballot, but we are out of funds, so we have no money to support candidates."

Nevertheless, the Libertarians will field a slate of candidates in November, she said. At their 2008 convention in Burlington held in April, the party nominated Dr. Michael Munger, chair of the Duke University political science department, for governor. They also nominated candidates for the General Assembly, U.S. Congress, and the Guilford County Commission.

Libertarians have until July 1 to submit a complete list of candidates to the SBOE, Howe noted. "We expect now that we are officially on the ballot, we will have more people come forward who want to spread the message of liberty."

North Carolina ballot laws are the most restrictive in the nation. "They're designed by the Democrats and Republicans to keep independent candidates and third parties off the ballot," said Dr. Munger. The LPNC spent an estimated $134,000 and logged 2,200 volunteer hours to collect the nearly 70,000 valid signatures needed.
"This also costs the taxpayer, stifles democracy, and, worst of all, kills trees," Dr. Munger quipped. "County BOE clerks spend 4,000 hours verifying the more than 108,000 signatures we submitted." That's based on an estimate of two minutes to verify each signature. In some cases, it takes 5 to 10 minutes, Dr. Munger said.

"And we used more than 20 reams of paper, 400 pounds," Dr. Munger said. "And after all this time, effort and expense, we essentially arrive at the starting line breathless."

"Since the process keeps most parties out completely, the real cost to taxpayers is democracy." Dr. Munger said. "No choices, no new ideas, and no competition in a system that could surely use it.

"Nearly half of the seats in the General Assembly will be unopposed again this year because we have had to spend all our resources on this bizarre exercise instead of recruiting candidates and campaigning."

Meanwhile, Libertarian delegates have departed/will depart for the 2008 Libertarian National Convention in Denver May 22 to 26. The Convention will nominate a candidate for president, who will be on the ballot in 48 states. A debate featuring the Libertarian candidates seeking the presidential nomination will be aired live on CSPAN Saturday, May 24 from 7 to 9 p.m. (MST).

"Unlike the Democratic and Republican national conventions, ours is not subsidized by taxpayer money," Howe noted.