the saddest thing about chomsky, is, the man is brilliant, has an incredible mind, his work in linguistics is excellent, but most all of his political stuff is garbage..

Daniel, his work in linguistics has recently been repudiated as the unadulterated bullshit it is. And as for your other encomium, anybody who defends Pol Pot -- and lies for him in the media -- cannot have an "incredible mind" as you lovingly wrote. 'Deranged', 'psychotic', 'infirm', 'diseased', 'evil': yes. 'Incredible': I don't think so. I'd suggest a better use of adjectives in the future.

What if castro and Chavez got into a fight over the White Sox? castro hates them and Chavez loves them. This could get geopolitical.

I don't understand the description of two splendid exiles when referring to the White Sox. Contrerras is far from being a splendid exile. He is just another example of the new Cuban refugee who comes not for the ideals of freedom. He insists that he is not involved in politics even when he has been bashed on top of his head by the plantation owner back in Cuba. He is forced to have his wife and child smuggled out of Cuba to join him in the USA and he still does not criticize the Castro regime, and he even has a clause written into his major league contract stating he may pitch for the Cuban National Team if they compete outside of Cuba. The man has no shame, no moral values and I refuse to see him as an example of a splendid exile, rather he is an example as to why not to care about the Cuban crisis. One day Cuba will be liberated and when it is, it will not be because of Cubans like Contrerras. As for El Duque, he is a champion that goes beyond his time with the Yankees and World Series heroics.

Frank, I think you are being too harsh. He's done time in fidel's dungeons, and done so on principle. He's helped others escape. He is wise not to get involved in politics - he is a baseball player after all, he shouldn't be spending his energy on politics which, given castro, are nearly futile or else take fulltime effort and years of patience. He's said enough about what he thinks of castro for everyone to know the truth. That's enough. castro is screaming. That's all that's needed. Now it's time for him to play ball, poor man.

Geroge
the man's politics may suck, but it doesn't mean he's an idiot.. i dont think hitler was an idiot, i dont think castro is an idiot.. they are all as you say 'Deranged', 'psychotic', 'infirm', 'diseased', 'evil', and also, brilliant, for achieving what they did.. you dont do what they did without being intelligent.. chomsky may have screwed up political views, and you may think his views are stupid, but you cant discount his mind simply for his political views.. there are many well educated leftist thinkers who would question the mental capacity of those on the right, simply for their views.. i think its sad that someone with the mind he has has dedicated it to the left, but i think he is a interesting thinker to say the least..

"Leftist thinker" is an oxymoron.

"Leftist thinker" is an oxymoron. no argument there
maybe we can agree here: it's sad that someone with those talents has not used them to their fullest potential

Folks,
I have heard Contreras has called Miami Cuban exiles as "counterrevolutionarries". I have been unable to find any reference of this. Can anyone substantiate this? If this is true, I have lost respect for him. I am already rooting against the Sox because of Guillens loving words for Chavez.

Well, I'm rooting for the Astros. My reasoning is very complicated, yet logical. I have four teams in Major League Baseball I try to follow. The Yankees (above the rest), the Marlins, the Cubs >, and sometimes the Reds (in memory of my grandfather who was a fanatical Reds fan). The way I see it, if the Astros win with Pettite and Clemens, it'll piss off Steinbrenner who is one of the reasons my beloved Yankees are such losers lately. He traded Pettite and I thought then it was a stupid mistake. So, go Astros!