Lost in the Fog

The spirit of the late Edward R. Murrow is alive again, and his name is Keith Olberman.

Over the past several weeks, on his MSNBC program "Countdown", Mr. Olberman has delivered a series of special commentaries that have struck to the very heart of everything that is wrong with the decisions made by the current Bush administration.

His latest commentary, "Beginning of the End of America", graphically demonstrates how decisions made by a sitting President can be proven by history to not only be wrong but also to have dire consequences to the future survival of our coutry's democratic ideals.

But are they doing any good?

You see, when the late Edward R. Murrow made the brave and costly decision to challenge a popular demagogue, at the time his voice was not only respected throughout the world due to his past work, but it was also one of the few voices the public had available. As a consequence, people listened to him and gave his voice the weight it rightfully deserved.

That is not true today.

Because, today, the voice of Keith Olberman is but one of a thousand or more voices fighting for the attention of the public. And today, the public is much more interested in seeing who is the latest to be kicked off of "Dancing with the Stars", or who will win the most money on "Deal or No Deal", or what Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes' baby looks like, or any of a thousand other meaningless items that fight for the public interest.

Even the mid-term elections, which are less than a month away, capture less interest than who will be the winner of the next "Survivor" series.

Perhaps the best way of looking at this is the use of Murrow's own words:

To those who say people wouldn't look; they wouldn't be interested; they're too complacent, indifferent and insulated, I can only reply: There is, in one reporter's opinion, considerable evidence against that contention. But even if they are right, what have they got to lose? Because if they are right, and this instrument is good for nothing but to entertain, amuse and insulate, then the tube is flickering now and we will soon see that the whole struggle is lost. This instrument can teach, it can illuminate; yes, and it can even inspire. But it can do so only to the extent that humans are determined to use it to those ends. Otherwise it is merely wires and lights in a box.(emphasis mine)

What has the media become lately, but merely wires in a box and lights to entertain?

I'll keep waiting while you consider your answer. I expect to be here for a while...

Magg-li-OH!

OH YEAH!

THE TIGERS WIN!

Me loves me the Magglio Ordonez!

Oakland goes home cryin'. And Detroit sits back and rests while the Cardinals and Mets bloody each other.

Play on you Tigers! No early playoffs exit for you, like so many people predicted.

Man, what I would give to have a ticket to one of those games...

More later!

Tigers WIN!

Tigers win! THREE GAMES TO NONE!

BRING IT ON FOR TOMORROW!!!

Me likes the Tigers!

See you tomorrow!

Blogging the Tigers, cont.

Ugh! Still 3-0 Tigers, but they are now three outs away from being up in the series 3-0!

Top of the ninth

Blogging the Tigers!

Well, they just sat Kenny Rogers down after pitching 7 1/3 shutout innings. If the Tigers go on to win it all, you know who has my vote for MVP!

7:14 p.m. Tigers up 3-0. Bottom of the 8th. More later!

The Roller Coaster

I'm beginning to dislike the weather in Northwest Ohio.

Last Monday, it was sunny, clear, and near 80 degrees. Today, 3 days later, it's cold, cloudy, and snow showers with temps in the 30's and a freeze warning.

Living here is like living on a weather roller coaster.

There's a joke going around: You know you live in Northwest Ohio if you've ever switched from heat to air conditioning in the same day. Been there, done that, bought the T-Shirt.

Or this: You know you live in Northwest Ohio if you've ever designed your kid's Halloween costume to fit over a snowsuit.

But even after all this, I have to say that I wouldn't trade it for anything. After all, where else am I gonna live? Florida (Hurricanes)? Arizona (Desert)? California (Arnold)?

Go Tigers!

Guess Who's Back?!

Wow. I've been gone a long time. You never fully realize how much you miss your internet access until you don't have it anymore.

So what has happened in the interim? A LOT, apparently. Let me start off with this:

The Toledo Mud Hens are the Governor's Cup Champions for the second year in a row. I was at the final game. Here's a picture of the celebration:



Sorry about the poor quality, but my camera phone doesn't take the best pictures.

So what else? Ah, yes!

I understand former congressman Mark Foley was reading a book the other day, but couldn't find a bookmark. So he decided to just bend over a page...

(Ba-bump Ching!)

What else?

What do you call 35 guys sitting around a TV watching the World series?

The New York Yankees.

What else?

Where's the safest place to go in a tornado?

Ford Field. They never get a touchdown there...

More? Okay!

What do the Cleveland Browns and Billy Graham have in common?

They can both make 50,000 people stand up and say, "Jesus Christ"!

I've got a million of 'em...

What do you call the number one college football team in the country?

The Ohio State Buckeyes!

What? You thought that was some kind of joke?

Anyhoo, that's all for now. Hopefully I can go back to regular posting now.

Texas = Pwned!

Ah. Revenge is sweet.

Pretty good weekend. My beloved Buckeyes open up a Texas-sized can of Whoop-ass on the Longhorns, and, as the icing on the cake, the Mud Hens eliminate Charlotte in the semifinals of the IL playoffs to advance to the finals.

The only weak spot I can see for the buckeyes is their run defense, traditionally one of the strong points for the buckeyes. I get the feeling that will improve, as the new corps of linebackers learns the ropes. Next up, hopefully, a nice little tune-up against Cinci before they dive into the maelstrom known as Big Ten conference. Go Bucks!

As for the Mud Hens, they won it in the tenth. In four games, Charlotte twice tried the strategy of Intentionally walking one batter to face the next one. Both times, that particular strategy jumped up and bit them on the ass. Let's go Hens!

Olberman--The Next Murrow?

Excerpts from Keith Olberman's commentary on Donald Rumsfeld's recent speech to Veterans:

"Dissent and disagreement with government is the life's blood of human freedom; and not merely because it is the first roadblock against the kind of tyranny the men Mr. Rumsfeld likes to think of as "his" troops still fight, this very evening, in Iraq.

It is also essential. Because just every once in awhile it is right and the power to which it speaks, is wrong."

"That, about which Mr. Rumsfeld is confused is simply this: This is a Democracy. Still. Sometimes just barely.

And, as such, all voices count -- not just his.

Had he or his president perhaps proven any of their prior claims of omniscience -- about Osama Bin Laden's plans five years ago, about Saddam Hussein's weapons four years ago, about Hurricane Katrina's impact one year ago -- we all might be able to swallow hard, and accept their "omniscience" as a bearable, even useful recipe, of fact, plus ego.

But, to date, this government has proved little besides its own arrogance, and its own hubris."

"The confusion is about whether this Secretary of Defense, and this administration, are in fact now accomplishing what they claim the terrorists seek: The destruction of our freedoms, the very ones for which the same veterans Mr. Rumsfeld addressed yesterday in Salt Lake City, so valiantly fought.

And about Mr. Rumsfeld's other main assertion, that this country faces a "new type of fascism."

As he was correct to remind us how a government that knew everything could get everything wrong, so too was he right when he said that -- though probably not in the way he thought he meant it.

This country faces a new type of fascism - indeed."

Olberman ends his commentary with a quote from his journalist predecessor, Edward R. Murrow, a man who dared to speak truth to a corrupt power:

"We must not confuse dissent with disloyalty. We must remember always that accusation is not proof, and that conviction depends upon evidence and due process of law.

"We will not walk in fear, one of another. We will not be driven by fear into an age of unreason, if we dig deep in our history and our doctrine, and remember that we are not descended from fearful men, not from men who feared to write, to speak, to associate, and to defend causes that were for the moment unpopular."

These days, it seems that anyone who dares to criticize the current administration or its policies comes under an immediate and merciless bombardment of smear and hate from a relentless wright-wing media machine that steamrolls over everything in its path in a relentless quest to squelch all dissent. This is not the America that our forefathers fought for and died for.This is not the America of Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln, Teddy Roosevelt, Franklin D. Roosevelt, or even Ronald Reagan.

To categorize any and all dissent against the current administration as treasonous and unpatriotic and even as fascist is an assault on the very ideas that made this country great.

Or to put it another way, in the words of the aforementioned Teddy Roosevelt:

"To announce that there must be no criticism of the President, or that we are to stand by the president, right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic and servile, but morally treasonable to the American Public."

The current administration has made blunder after blunder since they took office six years ago. And the people who have called them on those mistakes, be they the likes of Keith Olberman, Ned Lamont, or even The Dixie Chicks, deserve to be praised, not vilified. These people represent the truest form of patriotism.

I have to believe that somehow, somewhere, the spirit of Edward R. Murrow, cigarette in hand, is smiling down upon those of us who dare to dissent.

For years, I have been telling people that I would never pay for cable TV, since I could see no point in paying $40+ a month for 80 channels worth of nothing. I may have to knuckle under, though, just for the privilege of watching Mr. Olberman speak the truth to power five nights a week.

He gives me hope that there may be light at the end of this long dark tunnel.

Rebuttal to the "Bill of Non-Rights"

Today, the so-called "Bill of Non-Rights landed in my e-mail inbox for the umpteenth time. So I have prepared this response. Enjoy!


I, a sensible person, and a thinking American, possessed of an above-average intelligence and being able to read above a third grade level, having received for the umpteenth time this piece of garbage called “the bill of non-rights”, have prepared a point by point rebuttal to it. Being completely sick and tired of such narrow-minded, jingoistic, uneducated crap, I want to set the record straight. Therefore, I have included all of the original 11 “non-rights”, with each one followed immediately by my rebuttal.

ARTICLE I: You do not have the right to a new car, big screen TV, or any other form of wealth. More power to you if you can legally acquire them, but no one is guaranteeing anything.

ARTICLE I REBUTTAL: Of course no one has the RIGHT to a new car, big screen TV, or any other form of wealth. But when the world's wealthiest industrialized nation still has one-fifth of its population living in soul-killing poverty, and one percent of its population controls 90 percent of its wealth, maybe it's time to re-examine the way we distribute that wealth.

ARTICLE II: You do not have the right to never be offended. This country is based on freedom, and that means freedom for everyone -- not just you! You may leave the room, turn the channel, express a different opinion, etc.; but the world is full of idiots, and probably always will be.

ARTICLE II REBUTTAL: Of course you do not have the right to never be offended. You also have the right to address the person who offended you and tell them that they offend you. You have the right to do it LOUDLY. And if you think otherwise, then you are one of those idiots. Perhaps if more people exercised this right, offensive people might learn to keep their opinions to themselves.

ARTICLE III: You do not have the right to be free from harm. If you stick a screwdriver in your eye, learn to be more careful; do not expect the tool manufacturer to make you and all your relatives independently wealthy.

ARTICLE III REBUTTAL: You have the right to expect that the products you spend good money on are safe to use. And if manufacturers, in the interest of cost cutting, make defective products that can maim, cripple, or kill people, then they should be forced to pay through the nose when those products do exactly that. It's the surest way to teach them not to do it again.

ARTICLE IV: You do not have the right to free food and housing. Americans are the most charitable people to be found, and will gladly help anyone in need, but we are quickly growing weary of subsidizing generation after generation of professional couch potatoes who achieve nothing more than the creation of another generation of professional couch potatoes!

ARTICLE IV REBUTTAL: Of course you don't have the right to FREE food and housing, but you do have the right to AFFORDABLE food and housing. And it should be safe to live in that housing and consume that food. And instead of complaining about people who live on welfare, maybe we ought to examine some of the reasons WHY people are living like that*


ARTICLE V: You do not have the right to free health care. That would be nice, but from the looks of public housing, we're just not interested in public health care.

ARTICLE V REBUTTAL: The only ones who don't want free health care are the insurance and drug companies. Ask any sane person if they would like to be able to afford lifesaving drugs or treatments without taking out a second mortgage on their house and they will ALWAYS answer YES!

ARTICLE VI: You do not have the right to physically harm other people. If you kidnap, rape, intentionally maim, or kill someone, don't be surprised if the rest of us want to see you fry in the electric chair.

ARTICLE VI REBUTTAL: Capital punishment is useless as a deterrent. It is also ridiculously difficult to make happen. If you ask me, sticking someone in a 8 x 10 room for the rest of their life with a 6'6" cellmate named Bubba who thinks they've got a pretty mouth is a far worse form of punishment. Let them experience hell on earth for a few decades before they get to the real hell. That’s a far worse punishment than death.

ARTICLE VII: You do not have the right to the possessions of others. If you rob, cheat, or coerce away the goods or services of other citizens, don't be surprised if the rest of us get together and lock you away in a place where you still won't have the right to a big screen color TV or a life of leisure.

ARTICLE VII REBUTTAL: If you're going punish people for stealing, then make sure you punish everybody who steals, regardless of their wealth, political connections, or other influence that makes them feel above the law. If you're going to imprison the junkie that steals a woman's purse with $85 in it, then you had better also imprison the CEO who steals $85 million from his company's pension fund and then expects to retire with it to a life of ease on some tropical island.

ARTICLE VIII: You do not have the right to a job. All of us sure want you to have a job, and will gladly help you along in hard times, but we expect you to take advantage of the opportunities of education and vocational training laid before you to make yourself useful. (AMEN!)

ARTICLE VIII REBUTTAL: No one has the right to a job, but we do have the right to expect the jobs we DO have to remain in place, not be shipped overseas to some poverty-stricken country where people are so desperate for money that they will work for $2 a day and no bathroom breaks. And if that DOES happen, then we have the right to expect to have all the help we can get to help us train ourselves to get another job just as good, and not to have to spend what should be our retirement years cleaning toilets at Wal-Mart because our pension fund has disappeared (see Article VII rebuttal above) (TESTIFY!)

ARTICLE IX: You do not have the right to happiness. Being an American means that you have the right to PURSUE happiness, which by the way, is a lot easier if you are unencumbered by an over abundance of idiotic laws created by those of you who were confused by the Bill of Rights.

ARTICLE IX REBUTTAL: The Pursuit of happiness is often made easier by laws that protect people from abuse. A goodly number of those laws were passed by well-meaning people who wanted—and still want—to protect us all from being exploited by big business. And yes, some of those laws are idiotic. If you don't like it, get yourself elected to political office and do something to change them. Until you do, quit bitching about it!

ARTICLE X: This is an English speaking country. We don't care where you are from, English is our language. Learn it or go back to wherever you came ! from! (lastly....)

ARTICLE X REBUTTAL: Not everyone in the world speaks English. Heck, a lot of our ancestors couldn't speak English when they first came here. Most of them did pretty well. Give people a break. They're trying. Besides, if we hold people to the rule that they can't live in a country unless they speak its native language, then we'd better give this country back to the Indians until we learn THEIR languages (ALL of them!)

ARTICLE XI: You do not have the right to change our country's history or heritage This country was founded on the belief in one true God. And yet, you are given the freedom to believe in any religion, any faith, or no faith at all; with no fear of persecution. The phrase IN GOD WE TRUST is part of our heritage and history, and if you are uncomfortable with it, TOUGH!

ARTICLE XI REBUTTAL: What part of "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion" do you NOT understand? The writers of the Bill of Rights were all deeply religious men, but they also knew firsthand the oppression that could arise when the government established a state religion. That's why it's the VERY FIRST PROHIBITION in the First amendment, ahead of prohibiting government interference with free speech, freedom of the press, the right to peaceably assemble, and the right to petition the government for a redress of grievances (I bet you didn't know them all, did you?!)

I am so tired of this retarded claptrap repeatedly landing in my inbox. I believe an idiot with an e-mail account and a cause is more dangerous than a terrorist at the controls of a jumbo jet. Quit whining about our government. Believe me, things could be MUCH worse. If you don't like the government we have, you're more than welcome to move to China or North Korea and experience the alternative.

The Hens Win!

The three readers of this blog may or may not be aware that I am a BIG fan of the Toledo Mud Hens, our local triple A minor league baseball team.

This is the top-tier farm team for the Detroit Tigers, who happen to be in playoff contention for the first time in 13 years. And they were the League champions last year.

And they are again in a tight playoff race. They have only a few games left (their regular season ends on Labor Day) and they are in a race with the other teams in their division to win it all. And last night, they played the Indianapolis Indians in the last regular season matchup they will have with them.

And they won!

In a VERY dramatic, come-from-behind victory.

This was a crucial game for them. Win it, and they would be in a tie for first place in their division. Lose, and they would drop back to two games behind.

I was there. And I screamed. A lot. And today I have lost my voice. Turns out that getting enthusiastic about a game can cost you physically.

But it was a lot of fun.

I might point out that the Hens are in the unique position of having their Major League team being playoff contenders for the first time in more than a decade. So they can lose key players at any time (which has really hurt the pitching staff).

Which makes their drive for a championship all the more impressive.

Which is why I love the Mud Hens.


Links:

Mud Hens
Tigers

UPDATE (11:00 p.m.) Hens beat Louisville 10-4, move into sole posession of first place in their division. Woo-hoo!

It Happened Again!

And at the exact same store!

You may recall this post back in January about a woman who took my cart in a grocery store. Well, the same thing happened today. I was in the exact same grocery store. I had a 12-pack in my cart. I got in line at the in-store bank. While waiting, a man removed the 12-pack and walked away with my cart.

This time, I caught up with him. I took the cart back. I was damned if it was going to happen again.

It makes me wonder if politeness has completely disappeared from today's society. I mean, don't you think it's just a bit rude to assume an unattended shopping cart with item(s) in it has been abandoned? And to furthermore remove said item(s) and take the cart for yourself?

I am now issuing an open warning to any would-be cart-stealers who cast your gaze towards my unattended shopping carts: IF you try it again, violence will ensue. I've reached my limit!

Platinum Showgirls

The radio station I listen to at work often has ads for Platinum Showgirls, a local nudie bar. The commercials advertise the great food and huge TV's that are available at this place.

First things first: Ohio does not allow alcohol and naked women to be in the same establishment. So there is either drinking or stripping, but not both. So you are either horny or drunk at this place. But that's not my point.

My point is this: If you go to a peeler bar to eat and watch TV, then you need to seriously re-examine your priorities.

That's all I'm sayin'!

Sorry for not posting for a while. Would it be pointless to tell you people how lazy I am?

Say it Ain't So, Joe!

Lieberman = Loserman.

It's as simple as that. Joe Lieberman lost the Democratic (AND democratic) primary.

He then immediately declared his intention to run as an Independent.

He thinks he can count on the support of the same people that helped his failed primary campaign.

Is he in for a surprise!

Y'see, those loyal Democrats with any sense will immediately throw all their support behind the ELECTED Democrat (Lamont). Many already have. And I have a feeling that when Joe tries to call his buddy Bill Clinton to come campaign for him this October, he will be treated to a busy signal (Bill's already in enough trouble with his wife, who has stated she will support whoever wins the primary)

And Lamont has an amazing people power movement behind him, which will grow ten times stronger with his victory. Up until now, the netroots have been only marginally successful in elections. Defeating a three-term Senator who once ran as the Democratic nominee for Vice President proves that the netroots cannot be laughed off as a fringe group any longer.

So it's time for you to bow out, Joe. Accept that Professorship at Yale. Or one of those 12 Board member positions you will be offered. Or maybe you can get your good buddy George Bush to give you a cabinet post...

Say Goodnight, Joecie!

It would seem that Connecticut Senator Joe Lieberman is facing a serious primary challenge from Ned Lamont. I have withheld weighing in on this until now, for fear of being identified as one of the "hysterical" bloggers that are piling onto Joe for all they're worth.

But now, let me say this: If you lose next Tuesday, Joe, then bow out gracefully.

This primary has been THE demonstration of the ever expanding power of the blogger netroots (of which I am a member, even if I am a basically unheard one). The good folks at DailyKos.com have been on this campaign from the beginning, and the traditional media can no longer laugh off the power of the blogs.

There is a famous quote attributed to Mahatma Gandhi: "First they ignore you, then they ridicule you, then they fight you, then you win."

The blogosphere can no longer be laughed off as a bunch of wackos. Our political power is growing. And while some of us may fall by the wayside, I have little doubt that next Tuesday may serve as a very effective demonstration of the power of the netroots.

So, Mr. Lieberman, if you lose next Tuesday, have the good grace to take it like a man. Maybe if you learn your lesson, you'll be able to resurrect your political career as a TRUE Democrat.

I Get It!

I finally discovered the real motive behind the President's veto of Federal funding for stem cell research.

I'll sum it up in two words: Big. Business.

Don't you see? If the Federal Government funds research into Stem cells, then the benefits gained from that research will be available to everyone in the country. But if that research is left in the hands of the corporations, then whatever benefits they come up with they can sell for premium prices. Only the rich will reap the benefits of it.

And the President stays faithful to his TRUE roots: Big Business.

The fact that it throws a fresh supply of red meat to the right is just a bonus.

I predict that stem cell cures will be offered by the big pharmaceuticals any day now.

Bush's First Veto

So. The moment is finally coming. President Bush will soon use his first veto in the nearly six years of his presidency. And it's against legislation that will expand federal funding of stem-cell research.

I want to add my voice to the rapidly growing chorus of voices yelling for him not to do it. In doing so, I add my voice to an August crowd that also includes the voice of Nancy Reagan, wife of the Republican God of the 20th century.

Because, y'see, research in this field has the potential to develop cures for, among other things, Alzheimer's disease. Which her husband died from, after suffering from it for years. I have personally never dealt with anyone who had this condition (yet...thank God. Are You listening?) but I understand it is much harder on the family and friends than it is on the actual victim of the disease. And judging by the way Nancy Reagan looked at her husband's funeral, I can believe it. She looked, to me, weary, and beaten down by life.

I don't ever want to look like that. I don't ever want to watch someone I love slowly fade away over the course of a decade or more. And yet I briefly flash on that thought every time My 75-year old dad occasionally forgets what day of the week it is.

Don't get me wrong. My dad is still sharp as a tack. And he's in good health for someone his age. But he isn't getting any younger. And we all watched my grandmother fade away, until she didn't remember who any of us were or even who she was.

And while the whole premise of stem-cell research and the miracles scientists are promising that research could possibly deliver may very well turn out to be a hopeless pipe dream, we will never know until we try. And, God forbid, what if one of our enemies discovers a way to use this technology to develop a weapon against us, that we are powerless to fight, because we did not allow our own scientists to develop a counter to this.

I realize that this is the worst case scenario. But imagine a slightly less terrifying scenario. Suppose, for example, China develops, using stem cells, a way to heal any type of injury, including spinal cord injury. They then decide to share this with everyone EXCEPT the U.S. Who do you suppose the world will respect then?

At the very least, we must encourage this research, if for no other reason than to prove it cannot be used against us.

And for those who point out that these are living beings, capable of becoming life, let me say this: We are talking about 100-cell blastocysts that are smaller than the period at the end of this sentence. They are also GOING TO BE DISPOSED OF ANYWAY. THEY ARE NOT EMBRYOS! THEY ARE SCIENCE EXPERIMENTS! They resemble a human being about as much as a 60 watt bulb resembles the sun.

And nothing prevents a couple going through IVF from giving their permission for someone else to use these to create a child if they don't need them any more. Although, as I understand it, most couples don't. That's understandable. I wouldn't want someone else raising a child I had created with another person--not that that's likely to happen anytime soon...

So wise up, Mr. President. For once in your life, do something right.


Update: 5:45p.m. The veto has gone through. He did it in a ceremony with some of these so-called "snowflake children" behind him. God, the hypocrisy of this man. If he's so concerned about the survival of these IVF embryos, well, then, he has two apparently healthy daughters of childbearing age. How soon do you suppose that they will each be carrying one?

Probably about as soon as they join the Army and serve a tour in Iraq.

GOD, I'm pissed off about this!

Truth, Justice, and the American Woe

So, I finally got around to seeing "Superman Returns" over the weekend.

Let me say first this: Meh.

I was good, but it wasn't great.

Two things first of all: 1) Superman needs to learn to lock his door if he's going to be gone for 5 years, and 2) Lex Luthor needs to learn to not have any female members of his gang. They screw him up every time. Besides, what are they going to do? Sue him for sex discrimination?

I will say this about the movie: The effects were very good and actually believeable to the extent that you can believe anything about a superhero movie. And Brandon Roush DEFINITELY looks the part, right down to that little curly lock of hair that dangles over his forehead in that special way. His only problem may be that he might forever be typecast for the role. Poor kid. Let's hope he made a good deal on the residuals.

But I didn't write this entry to talk about the movie. At least not in the sense of a review.

No. I wrote this because of a line from the movie. It happens after Superman has made his grand re-appearance. Perry White is holding a strategy session with the Daily Planet staff. And at one point, he asks the rhetorical question, "Does he (Superman) still stand for truth? Justice? And all that stuff?"

Well, that little re-write of the classic line has the wright-wingnuts up in arms. This is a good example of this. Apparently, the removal of the phrase "and the American way" is another example of Hollyweird's treasonous hatred of all things American.

I have three words. Get. Over. It.

Seriously. It's a friggin' Movie!

I especially love the fact that that people called him an "American-Born Hero". Hello?! He's an ALIEN BEING, for the love of Mike! From THE PLANET KRYPTON!! Ring any bells?!

By the way, I seem to recall reading something about a series DC did a couple of years ago, about an alternate reality wherein Superman fell to earth in Soviet Russia, not Kansas, and was raised as a Russian. I can only imagine the outcry if THAT were ever made into a movie.

The change is merely a reflection of the times. We live in a Global world, one where I can snap a picture with my cell-phone and instantly e-mail it to an aquaintance in Japan. And where natural disasters afflict every part of the world. I'm sure the victims of yesterday's tsunami in Java would be welcoming the help of Superman right now. As would the people of New Orleans. Or the victims of the Tsunami of December 2004. Or the victims of any of the dozens, if not hundreds, of disasters that plague humanity.

The whole world needs Superman...even if he only exists in our imaginations. And to imply that America has an exclusive claim to him is the sort of selfishness that can only further enflame the negative feelings the majority of the rest of the world has towards us.

They Said it Better Than I could, Cont.

Ya know, kids sometimes say the darndest things...

What the American Flag Stands For
by Charlotte Aldebron
Published on Wednesday, April 3, 2002 by Common Dreams

The American flag stands for the fact that cloth can be very important. It is against the law to let the flag touch the ground or to leave the flag flying when the weather is bad. The flag has to be treated with respect. You can tell just how important this cloth is because when you compare it to people, it gets much better treatment. Nobody cares if a homeless person touches the ground. A homeless person can lie all over the ground all night long without anyone picking him up, folding him neatly and sheltering him from the rain.

School children have to pledge loyalty to this piece of cloth every morning. No one has to pledge loyalty to justice and equality and human decency. No one has to promise that people will get a fair wage, or enough food to eat, or affordable medicine, or clean water, or air free of harmful chemicals. But we all have to promise to love a rectangle of red, white, and blue cloth.

Betsy Ross would be quite surprised to see how successful her creation has become. But Thomas Jefferson would be disappointed to see how little of the flag's real meaning remains.

Charlotte Aldebron, 12, wrote this essay for a competition in her 6th grade English class. She attends Cunningham Middle School in Presque Isle, Maine. Comments may be sent to her mom, Jillian Aldebron: aldebron@ainop.com

Anything I could add would be superfluous at best.

Thanks to Bill in Portland Maine from Daily Kos for leading me to this.

Big Happenings in T-Town

There's a couple of big events going on in Toledo this week. First, the Triple-A Minor League All-Star Game tomorrow. Here's a couple pix of the stands during the Home Run Derby last night:





Also, the annual LPGA Jamie Farr classic is being held this week. So it's a good week, sportswise, for Toledo. And it's a chance to garner some national attention in a GOOD way for a change.

I like Toledo. I've lived here for close to 30 years now, and it is my home town. I'll probably live here the rest of my life. There are worse places. And although it is hopelessly overshadowed by the Three C's (Columbus, Cleveland, and Cincinatti) in terms of importance, it is a good place to live.

And while we will no doubt fade back into obscurity once this week is over, it's fun to enjoy the spotlight while it lasts!

Holy Toledo!