Labor Day

First, a brief history lesson:

Labor Day is a United States federal holiday that takes place on the first Monday in September. The holiday began in 1882, originating from a desire by the Central Labor Union to create a day off for the "working man". It is still celebrated mainly as a day of rest and marks the symbolic end of summer for many. Labor Day became a federal holiday by Act of Congress in 1894. (source: Wikipedia.org)

But nowadays, what began as a federal Holiday created to honor the Organized labor movement has now, sadly, become something else entirely. About the only thing closed on Labor day any more is the government. Labor Unions, once a powerful force to be reckoned with, have been reduced to a shadow of their former selves, thanks to the actions of Wal-Mart and other corporate powers that work actively day in and day out to diminish the power of organized labor even further.

It was the power of organized labor that instituted the 40-hour work week, the child labor laws, and scores of other laws that forced businesses to treat their employees like people instead of assets to be used up and then disposed of. Corporate America has never forgotten that, and they have been working ever since to undo those changes. And they have time and an endless supply of money on their side.

So before you, the 3 readers of this blog, kick back and enjoy your barb-B-Q and beer, pause and take a minute to reflect what your life would be like without the laws Organized labor instituted. For one thing, you'd probably be working right now instead of reading this.

Then, count your blessings.

By the way, for those of you keeping score at home, this makes 3 posts in 3 days. That's a personal record for me!

Restoring My Faith

Yesterday, September 1st, I went shopping at the newly opened COSTCO wholesale store.

But when I went onto my pocket to pay for my purchases, I discovered that I had lost my money clip with all my cash in it. I had to visit the local ATM to get more cash to pay for my purchases.

After spending a day searching my house for it, I decided to call COSTCO on a hunch. I was informed that someond had found the clip and turned it in to the office.

I went back and retrieved it, and discovered that all the cash that was in it was still completely intact. I asked who had turned it in, only to discover that it had been returned by an anonymous employee, robbing me of any opportunity to financailly reward this good Samaritan.

This act of anonymous kindness has, at least temporarily, restored my faith in the human condition, and given me hope that there may be a slim chance that we as a race will survive in the long run. Maybe.

Appalachian State

Division 1-AA school Appalachian State has defeated Michigan in what may be the upset of the year, decade, century, or EVER.

In the first few games of the year, the major teams of Division 1-A college football pay large amounts of money to bring small, easily beatable teams to their home fields to massacre them. The Big schools get easy wins, and the small schools get national exposure for their stars and a big paycheck.

But today, that strategy may be turned on its end.

Because, today, for the first time in years, decades, or CENTURIES, the sacrificial lamb turned tails and devoured the feaster.

Every other weak team fulfilled its job, lost, and went home with a big paycheck for its division.

App. state refused to do that. They BEAT their Goliath. And they earned 400K for doing so.

Hopefully, the message they sent was that just because the scouts ignore the 2nd tier players, it doesn't mean don't have the talent to be the best.

Because if today has proved anything, it is that you cannot count ANYBODY out!

Go Bucks!

Update (9/2/03): Bowling Green State University, a local team, upset Minnesota in OT. Another lamb slaughters its would-be killer! God, I love it!

Support the War, Dammit!

This morning, a conservative group launched a $15 million ad campaign encouraging all Americans to support the continuing disas--er--liberation of Iraq.

They are saying the same old thing over again: Just hang on, people! The more money, resources, and troops we pour into Iraq, the better things will be. And once General Petraeus gives his assessment of the current situation in Iraq, everything will be wine and roses.

This, of course, is complete and total BULLSHIT!

Even if Petraeus gives a rosy evaluation of the current situation in Iraq, anyone with half a brain will realize that he is at best greatly exagerating, and at worst lying through his teeth, probably on the orders of the Administration.

But the problem is, we won't care! NOBODY gives a shit about the thousands of American troops who have been killed needlessly. We as a country are apparently more interested in the latest antics of Linday Lohan or Paris Hilton. Even when tragedies happen right here at home, as in the case of the Utah mine disaster, there is no public outcry! There is no demand for a stringent re-evaluation of mine safety regulations. As long as we have our endless diet of reality TV and Hollywood gossip, we are apparently content to let tragedy and mayhem occur unchecked, both here and abroad. The Constitution is in tatters, people are arrested without charges or trial, and a willing media trumpets lost causes 24 hours a day. But we as a people seem to be OK with it all!

We face a future of endless war abroad and constant surveillance at home, and yet we don't seem to mind one bit. George Orwell's vision of our bleak future seems to have turned out to be 100% correct--He was simply a couple of decades ahead of reality.

THAT is the nation--and the world--we will be handing over to our children. May they forgive us someday. I wouldn't.

Cheney Said it Himself!

Key words to focus on: "Quagmire". "Pieces of Iraq". "Endless casualties".

(Say the same words as a Democrat and you are branded a "coward", a "Cut and runner" or a "Traitor".)

Could this be it? Could this video flying around the internet be the final nail in the Administration's coffin? Could this be the first sign of the disintegration of a White House that lacks the guidance of Karl Rove for the first time in nearly 8 years?

Nah. The American people have been shrugging this shit off for years. Why stop doing that now?

Prove me wrong, if you can.

The Home Run Champ

Barry Bonds.

He is now the Home Run King.

That's it.

I will say no more about it than this: He has hit more home runs in the Major Leagues than any other person who plays major league baseball.

And there is no other way to respond to that.

Until some other baseball player hits more home runs than he did, that record will hold. Period.

It does not matter that he may or may not have used performance enhancing drugs. The fact is that if a man has the ability to swing a stick of wood so that it connects with a 3 and a half inch sphere traveling at him at 90+ miles per hour and sends that sphere over 390 feet, he deserves a level of respect that no mortal can manage. I could never do that if I injected myself with 7000 vials of steoroids And I respect any man or woman who can do that.

The Kingdom of Loathing

www.kingdomofloathing.com

I heartily recommend this game to the three people who read this blog! It's fun!

And today is Saint Sneaky Pete's day!

I Knew It

I figured it would only be a matter of time:



I mean, one of the top Democratic presidential candidates having a first name that was only one letter away from the world's most notorious terrorist--I knew it would be inevitable.

Once again proving that there is no limit to how low the other side will go.

By the way, in case you were wondering, that's Mitt Romney smiling in that picture. And he was more than happy to autograph it.

Thanks to BuckeyeStateBlog for the picture.

Great Britain: Strong as an Ox

(This is a semi-follow-up to yesterday's post.)

It would seem that Hollywood, and perhaps the world in general, seems to think that England will always prevail.

You see, much in the same way New York City always seems to be destined to be destroyed in the movies, England always seems to be destined to survive whatever apocalypse will destroy the world not so very long from now.

By the way, why is it that celluloid versions of the future always seem to depict the world of the future(s) either as a high-tech utopia or a post-apocalyptic wasteland? Of all the movies I've seen, only Minority Report seemed to achieve some kind of middle ground between the two.

But I digress. As I was saying, England always seems destined to somehow survive whatever cataclysm has rendered the rest of the future world a barbaric wasteland. You see it in everything from movies like Shaun of the Dead to V for Vendetta. (And if you haven't seen either of those movies, stop reading now and go to your local video store and pick them up. You won't be disappointed.)

What is it about England that has everyone convinced it will survive?

Well, for starters, part of it may have to do with the fact that it survived for so long. I mean, here is an island nation whose total land mass is less than the state of Idaho (I include Northern Ireland), with limited natural resources, and with no shortage of enemies throughout the ages. And it's a nation that has not only survived centuries of brutal military assaults, but has beaten them all back and in most cases repaid the favor in spades.

It's also the nation that founded this nation of ours, and that, despite our differences over the decades, remains to this day one of our strongest allies.

It's also a nation that maintains its standing as one of the oldest surviving monarchies, despite the fact that its monarch is little more than a figurehead, and that its royal family is lately plagued by more scandals than Paris Hilton, Lindsay Lohan, and Michael Jackson combined.

And it's a nation that is famous for the "Stiff upper lip", the trademark stoicism that has carried the British through crisis after crisis for years.

In fact, the only thing I can think of that will bring Great Britain down is if some kind of plant virus were to destroy every single tea leaf in the world.

Without tea, England would be gone in a day.

Children of Men

I recommend that the 3 readers of this Blog do 4 things.

1) Rent the movie in the Title of this post.

2) Watch the movie and the special features.

3) Pray for the survival of mankind.

4) Hope that our children will forgive us for the world we are leaving for them.

Good night, and Good Luck.

Sad.

Ran across this car in the parking lot of a local grocery store. Please, please, PLEASE tell me this is not the saddest thing you've ever seen in your life:



Seriously, personalized license plates aren't cheap. So how much sense does it make to spend that kind of money to advertise to the world what a complete and total dork you are?

Perhaps the words of William Shatner can best explain how sad this is:

You know, before I answer any more questions there's something I wanted to say. Having received all your letters over the years, and I've spoken to many of you, and some of you have traveled... y'know... hundreds of miles to be here, I'd just like to say... GET A LIFE, will you people? I mean, for crying out loud, it's just a TV show! I mean, look at you, look at the way you're dressed! You've turned an enjoyable little job, that I did as a lark for a few years, into a COLOSSAL WASTE OF TIME!

I mean, how old are you people? What have you done with yourselves?

You, you must be almost 30... have you ever kissed a girl?

I didn't think so! There's a whole world out there! When I was your age, I didn't watch television! I LIVED! So... move out of your parent's basements! And get your own apartments and GROW THE HELL UP! I mean, it's just a TV show dammit, IT'S JUST A TV SHOW!

Now I realize that he was talking about trekkies--sorry, trekkERS--but just replace the words "TV Show" with "movie", and replace William Shatner with Mark Hamill or Harrison Ford, and then imagine the owner of that car standing in the front row of the crowd. Suddenly the speech isn't so much a humorous SNL sketch as it is a desparate cry for help.

The One True Church--NOT!

This week, Poop--er Pope Benedict XVI has approved a document asserting that Catholicsm is the One True Religion, and that the Eastern Orthodox Churches are defective, and that other Christian Churches are not true churches.

And may I say to Poop-er Pope Benedict XVI this: Fuck You!

And may I further add: And the horse you rode in on!

Perhaps I should change that to the Chariot you rode in on.

Yes, the Chariot. For you, as the head of the Catholic church, have refused to acknowledge that there may be any advances of mankind past the wheel.

You see, God gave us the power of imagination.

And that power enabled us to imagine that there might be something to do other that spend our entire life worshipping Him.

That power enabled us to imagine that some day, humankind might find a cure for diseases that had killed millions of us.

That power enabled us to imagine that someday we would break the bonds of gravity and fly.

That power enabled us to imagine that some day, humankind might esape the bonds of this Earth, and live in the Stars.

That power enabled us to imagine that we as a people would launch a deep space probe named Voyager, loaded with data that NASA scientists thought was the best humanity had to offer, into the interstellar void.

And that power of imagination helps me to think that my 2 nephews will one day lead humanity in establishing a human Republic in Space that will last for Millienia. Hey, a man can dream.

And, most importantly, that power of imagination helped us believe that God wouldn't mind if people chose to worship Him in dozens, if not hundreds, of different ways.

So I reject your finding that there is no other valid religion. As I have rejected every other tenet from a religion that seems to want to stay permanently mired in the 15th century. Mankind has progressed in spite of the Catholic church, not because of it. And I have to believe that we are all the better for it.

Sicko

So. I went to see Sicko over the weekend.

Yes, I have seen every Michael Moore film ever made. In case you hadn't noticed, I am an unabashed liberal. I make no apologies for this. I firmly believe that every social advancement in this country has been championed by liberals. Abolition of slavery immediately pops to mind...

So, keeping the film in mind, I reject any arguments that Moore has created a propaganda piece designed to demonize the American medical system, and advance the cause of socialized medicine.

As Moore pointed out, we have socialized a lot of things in this country. Fire, police, education (for the most part) spring to mind.

So why not health care?

Because, in 1971, a man named Kaiser managed to convince the Republican Administration that providing health care could be profitable. The same administration that created the Environmental Protection Agency, by the way.

I firmly believe that the Health Maintenance Organization was created to help people. After all, who could be unhappy about companies that had the ultimate goal of encouraging people to live a more healthy lifestyle?

But over the course of the next 30+ years, that goal became corrupted. The almighty dollar reared its ugly head. And these companies became increasingly profitable by demonstrating how much care they could NOT provide, instead of the reverse. And as the insurance and drug companies showed increasing profits, they gained even more incentive to make those profits even larger. It became a vicious cycle of greed.

It culminated in the deregulation of drug companies in the mid-90's. A flood of commercials for drug companies hit the airwaves, driving the demand for drugs to treat everything from high cholesterol to erectile dysfunction.

As a result, we as a nation watched our quality of health care decline even as its costs rose. I myself, in the 11+ years I have been in my current job, have seen my health care costs more than quadruple. And I have insurance!

Conservatives complain that Moore's film lionizes the health care systems of other countries while ignoring their faults. Not one mention is made of the faults readily apparent in our own system of health care.

After all, if you had a choice between waiting a few weeks for a medical procedure or being totally denied that procedure, which would you choose?

I thought so.

The Pardon in all but Name

So. Scooter Libby has received a full pard--er, commutation of his sentence from Idiot Boy--er, president Bush.

What this means is that the only man to be held slightly accountable for leaking the name of a covert CIA operative to the media, thus ending her career, will not spend a day in jail, and his token fines (you may think 250K is not such a token fine, but consider that a special fundraising commitee has already raised 2 Million for his defense and any financial penalties he may incur) will not even cause him the slightest inconvenience.

And while you may say that now he is a man with a criminal record (pending reversal on appeal), I might point out that many other people involved in White House scandals and who now have criminal records to show for it have gone on to have long and prosperous careers (G. Gordon Liddy, I'm looking your way here!)

The Constitution of the United States states: "Treason against the United States, shall consist only in levying war against them, or in adhering to their enemies, giving them aid and comfort."

Valerie Plame was heavily involved with countering the efforts of rogue nations, terrorist groups, and other nefarious characters to obtain materials for constructing nuclear weapons. She did this, presumably, by building a secret network of informants throughout several African states which posessed the resources necessary to construct these weapons. These informants would in turn inform her of anyone attempting to obtain said materials. In other words, she was doing the job she had been assigned to. We will probably never know how well. It is a well-known tenet that only the failures of the CIA are ever known.

But publication of her name in the media ended those efforts for good. And irreparably destroyed her career. All in the name of embarassing her husband, a well-known critic of the Bush Regime. A regime, I might point out, that considers any criticism of it to be treason of the highest order.

Scooter Libby, leaking the name of Valerie Plame, committed treason by giving aid and comfort to the enemy, by way of letting them know exactly who they could not trust. He no doubt did this on the orders of Vice President Cheney and/or Karl Rove and/or "President" Bush. We will probably never know just how high up on the food chain that order came from.

But we will always know that Scooter Libby committed Treason as defined by the Constitution. And he will never spend a single day behind bars for doing so.
And that is a disgrace.

Close the Book

Last Thursday, NBC aired the final episode of Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip. It was the last of a 4-episode arc obviously originally intended for sweeps month.

I was a huge fan of this show from the beginning. It was made by the creators of The West Wing and was aimed at fans of that show, like me. It featured sharp humor, liberal politics, and, most importantly, excellent writing! This last item is a feature that is rapidly disappearing from Television.

I mean, network television today is all about the so-called "reality" shows and watching talentless wannabes singing karaoke badly. There has been a dearth of quality writing on network TV of late, and I highly respect NBC for having the guts to still put out quality, well-written television shows.

Of course, the fact that nobody seems to be watching them makes me wonder how long that trend will continue.

A Great Day Indeed

Last week, I had a great day at work.

As all of the three people who read this blog know, our much beloved boss lost his bid for re-election last November. And his replacement has gone out of her way to completely change the way everything was done by the old administration, regardless of the fact that our office ran like a Swiss watch for years. And her subordinates have followed that doctrine. Basically, they are trying to get rid of anyone who worked in the old administration, any way they can.

That has meant that every tiny little mistake I make has been magnified tenfold. So far, this has meant only one disciplinary action for me. But I am on constant guard against further action.

So last week, my supervisor handed me an e-mail detailing 3 mistakes that had been made the previous week.

And, after a bit of research, and going into e-mails I had been sent, I was able to prove that all 3 mistakes were her fault. It was all I could do from breaking into a shit-eating grin while explaining this.

So it was a good day.

No, it was a GREAT day!

The only downside is that now she'll be even more actively seeking ways to make me look bad.

Bring it on!

Cindy Sheehan Calls it Quits

Cindy Sheehan, the longtime protestor of the war in Iraq, has stepped down as the public face of the anti-war protest movement, saying, "I’ve been wondering why I’m killing myself and wondering why the Democrats caved in to George Bush,"

Hear, hear.

Last year, we as a nation decided it was time to put an end to six solid years of full Republican control of the government, and many of us (myself included) cited frustration with the disastrous war in Iraq as the primary reason.

So what did the Democrats do with their fresh new majority? NOTHING!!!

They caved!

Completely and totally!

Under continuous veto threats from the White House, a PR smear campaign eagerly hyped by the steno media, and constant attacks from the 101st keyboard brigade, the new Democratic majority in Congress once again gave the President exactly what he wanted.

Just wait, they tell us, until next year, when there's a Democrat in the White House. THEN you'll see something new.

First of all, that's a big if. There are no guarantees about that. The current crop of Democratic presidential candidates is mediocre at best. And while the Republicans don't have anything better, the same electoral machine that got the Worst President In History elected twice is already gearing up for next year. And the Democrats have proven time and again that they cannot match the juggernaut that is Republican electoral politics

Secondly, Americans seemingly just don't care! As a country, we seemed to be a LOT more interested in who wins American Idol than in who is running for president.

Don't believe me? Quick, without googling, name me five candidates from each party currently running for president. I'll wait.

I thought so.

Don't feel bad. I couldn't do it myself.

Towards the end of the war in Vietnam, the protest movement in this country against the war was so strong that any candidate who spoke out against it did so at his (or her) peril.

But it took over 14 years and the lives of nearly 70,000 U.S. troops for us to realize what a mistake that was. And this was in a time before Entertainment Tonight, 24 hour news, Paris Hilton, Brangelina, and Anna Nicole Smith. God knows how many more soldiers will have to die before we realize what a mistake this current war is.

Right now, we just don't seem to care. And anyone who does care, like, say, Cindy Sheehan, is shouted down by the right wing smear machine, with the willing help of the steno media.

Perhaps Ms. Sheehan said it best: "Good-bye America ... you are not the country that I love and I finally realized no matter how much I sacrifice, I can’t make you be that country unless you want it. It’s up to you now."

I couldn't agree more.

Lest we Forget...

"The nation which forgets its defenders will be itself forgotten."
-Calvin Coolidge

Of course, soldiers aren't the only ones who die in wars...



Maybe someday there will no longer be wars. And maybe someday a pig will be taught to say the Rosary and then be taken bodily into heaven.

War seems to be a basic part of the human condition. There may be no way to avoid it. Sad.

Jerry Falwell, R.I.H.

(Rot In Hell)

Jerry Falwell is dead.

Notice that I did not call him the "reverend" Jerry Falwell, or any other similar honrific.

Because I believe that he was as much a voice of God as, well, frankly, I am.

I have never claimed, nor will I ever claim, to speak for God. I do not believe that any man, woman or child on this Earth can ever claim that right.

And yet that was what he claimed he did, every day.

The man was, put simply, a racist, misogynist, homophobic bigot.

In 1978, he founded the so-called "Moral Majority" (2 lies for the price of one), which helped usher in the Reagan-Bush era, and helped ensure that social progress in this country would be set back by about 50 years.

He campaigned against sanctions against the Apartheid government of South Africa, claiming that Archbishop Desmond Tutu was a "phony".

He asserted that the Antichrist was alive and a Jewish male.

And, after the September 11th, 2001 attacks, he asserted on National Television:

I really believe that the pagans, and the abortionists, and the feminists, and the gays and the lesbians who are actively trying to make that an alternative lifestyle, the ACLU, People For the American Way, all of them who have tried to secularize America. I point the finger in their face and say 'you helped this (September 11th) happen.'"

He later apologized for this, and claims he was quoted out of context, but I've seen the video. And this is a man who has been performing in front of a camera for more than 30 years. There is nothing he ever said in front of a live camera he didn't mean.

So I will shed no tears for this man. And I have no sympathy for anyone who does. And I realize that I may lose one of the three readers of this blog by writing this. I don't care. This blog isn't about the readers. It's what I think.

There is an old saying I learned long ago: If you ever see a man coming toward you telling you what a good Christian he is, put one hand on your wallet and walk the other way.

Jerry Falwell became a very wealthy man telling other people what a good Christian he was. Because too many people didn't follow that advice.

Mission Accomplished

Four years ago today, our esteemed leader stood on the deck of an aircraft carrier under a large banner reading "Mission Accomplished" and declared that major combat operations in Iraq were over.

Since then, more than 3,000 U.S. troops and tens of thousands of Iraqi soldiers and civilians have been killed.

But major combat operations ended 4 years ago today. Our President said so.

So I guess they weren't killed after all.

Huh.

Oh well. Here's a picture of my brand new nephew. Hopefully, this war in Iraq that was over four years ago will actually be over before he and his brother are old enough to be drafted.


Welcome to the world, young man! I promised your brother when he was born that I'd do my best to keep the world in one piece until he was old enough to take over. I make you the same promise.

Identified

So. The VT shooter has been identified.

From everything I've heard so far, this guy was, not to put too fine a point on it, one scary-ass motherfucker.

Excuse the language, but there are some times when it is called for.

I mean, from what people have been saying about this man, the only conclusion I've been able to draw is that people should have been asking not if he would have a serious nuclear meltdown, but when.

What is it that can drive a person that far around the bend? Was it some sort of chemical imbalance in his brain? Was it the environment he was raised in? Was it some kind of mind altering drug (or drugs)? Was it cosmic rays from outer space?

Or can it just be that some random event pushed this already dangerously unstable young man over the edge?

I freely admit that there have been times when I have felt the kind of rage that would drive me to homicidal behavior. But I have never acted on that impulse. I simply have to believe that the reason for that is that there is something in my makeup that would never allow me to do that.

Because if there isn't, then I am no better than Cho Seung-Hui. No better than an animal.

And I refuse to believe that.

Yet Another

So. Another mass shooting at a school.

This time, 31 students of Virginia PolyTechnical University are gunned down as they were in the prime of life.

As I understand it, VT is a technical University, heavy into research much along the lines of M.I.T. or Cal Tech. There is a heavy emphasis on Engineering and science curriculum. They also have a pretty decent football team.

So what does the loss of these 31 students mean, exactly?

Well.

For one thing, 31 young lives have been brutally snuffed out before they could become contributing members of society.

31 families will receive the worst news any family could ever receive.

31 promising careers have ended before they even got a chance to start.

Perhaps, more importantly, the future of mankind could have been snuffed out today.

There may have been some student among the dead who was destined to invent the low-cost desalinization device that would ensure an endless supply of fresh water, enough for everyone on the planet and more.

There may have been some student among the dead who was destined to create the new fusion reactor that was destined to solve all the world's energy problems.

There may even have been some student among the dead who was destined to design the spaceship that would carry mankind out into the stars.

OK, so maybe not. Maybe these 31 dead children (that's what they were, and now will always be) were destined for nothing greater than a boring 9 to 5 in a cubicle in the headquarters of some random Fortune 500 company, mindlessly going through the motions of creating a false impression of job satisfaction (a task I am PAINFULLY familiar with).

But, thanks to the actions of a madman, we will never have the opportunity to find out.

But the madman did not kill everyone. Madmen will never kill everyone. Many have tried. None have succeeded. So let me say this to those who survived the attack today: You're alive! Each day you live from now until the day you die is a gift! And you have an obligation to those who did not live through this day to make the best you can of your lives.

Because you can never know when the next day will be your last.

I Am Smarter Than a Fifth Grader

Most of the time, anyway.

I've gotten myself hooked on the new game show, Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader.

And I have to say, I'm light years ahead of the competition.

Most of the time, anyway.

Tonight, for example, the final contestant was beaten by the following question:

"How many meters are in a kilometer?"

Please, please, PLEASE tell me I don't have to tell you the answer to that!

So, should I be scared or entertained?

I mean, only one contestant that I've seen so far has made it past the $25,000 level.

They are answering questions from elementary school textbooks.

And they are not getting the right answers.

Again, should I be scared or entertained?

Admittedly, there was one question tonight I got wrong, but only because it's the one concept of geometry I never learned.

So I am smarter than a fifth grader. Most of the time, anyway. I just wish everyone was.

Because otherwise there is no hope for this country.

Sometimes I Hate Where I Live

The three regular readers of this blog know that I live in the midwest.

And if any of them have been paying attention to The Weather Channel, they know that now, in April, the current temperature is in the low 30's, and there is sporadic snow falling.

This is no surprise. I've been living here almost 30 years. Nothing about the weather surprises me. I'm used to it. But it still bugs me.

Why? Because it does. There is no other explanation.

I'm tired of living through four seasons: Almost Winter, Winter, Still Winter, and Construction.

I'm tired of days where I've had to switch my car from Heat to A/C in the same day.

I'm tired of wearing a T-shirt to work one day and a Winter coat the next.

But the problem is, there is no better alternative.

Where else can I go?

Florida? Nice weather, but Hurricaes.

Arizona? Hello?! Desert!

California? Hey dude, let's party!

The East Coast? No problem. Just 12 feet of snow every now and then.

Y'see, the Midwest may suck in terms of weather, opportunity, and everything else, but we are the heart of the country. And we will be around long after everyone else.

Which is why the best President in History hailed from Illinois.

And why, hopefully, the next President will also hail from there.

You Know What They Say...

...A picture is worth a thousand words, right?

These pictures are worth 3,218 names...








(The picture above was taken from a window of my office, which is on the sixth floor. Hard to see the tombstones with my camera phone picture, but I'm trying to convey the scale of this memorial--One full city block long!)


For more information about the Arlington Midwest Project, go here.

3,218

So. Here we are again at another anniversary of the invasion of Iraq.

The title of the post refers to the number of U.S. military personnel killed in Iraq since March 19th, 2003

3,079 of those deaths have occured since George Bush stood on the deck of an aircraft carrier (in front of a "mission accomplished" banner) and declared major combat operations in Iraq were over. Somebody, apparently, forgot to tell the other side this.

Add to that the over 24,000 (official) wounded, many of whom are now maimed, crippled, or otherwise scarred for life. This is to say nothing of the thousands more who are now suffering from deep psychological scars that are visible to no other person. It will probably never be possible to count all of them.

Add to that the tens of thousands of Iraqis who have died, both during the war and during the occupation. Most of whom were killed for no other reason than being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

And let's not forget to mention the cost of the war financially. Just check the counter to the right for the current total.

I know that I tend to repeat myself in these anniversary posts, but DAMMIT! IT NEEDS TO BE REPEATED! OFTEN! AND LOUDLY!

Someone HAS to stop this insanity. The American people HAVE to start standing up and SHOUTING! I do every day, but I'm pissing into the wind, apparently, because NO ONE IS LISTENING!

The reason no one listens to me, I think, is that no one WANTS to listen to me, or to anyone else who says things like this. Because to acknowledge that the things I say here are right simply reminds people that THEY DID NOTHING TO STOP IT!

So people simply nod uncomfortably and tune me out when I say these things. Because it makes them realize how wrong this whole venture has been from the get go. And if there is ONE THING that we as Americans--no, as a human beings--refuse to acknowledge, it's the possibility that we MIGHT have made a mistake.

The last time we made a mistake of this magnitude, it took nearly 20 years to admit it. And in the meantime, this mistake cost the lives of nearly 60,000 American soldiers and MILLIONS of Vietnamese, both military and civilian, on both sides.

We as a race seem to have a inherent inability to learn from our mistakes. It may very well be the thing that ultimately destroys us. And sooner than we think.

Until then, I'll keep hoping it doesn't happen. I'm probably fooling myself.

Bad Decisions

What makes people make bad decisions?

God knows I've made more than my share in my life. But none of them--thank God--have resulted in the end of my life. Yet.

Early this morning, though, two people made bad decisions that ended theirs.

A Toledo Police Department detective, working undercover in the vice narcotics division, and his partner stopped and attempted to arrest two people who were apparently engaged in suspicious activity.

Both men fled. The police detectives chased them. One of the suspects turned and fired at the detective chasing him. The detective was struck in the chest and killed. He was not wearing a bulletproof vest (undercover police officers usually don't).

This detective was the first TPD officer killed in the line of duty in more than 36 years.

The suspect in the shooting has been arrested. He is 15 years old. If tried as an adult and convicted, he faces the prospect of spending the rest of his life in prison.

I will mention no names in this entry. If you're curious, go to The Blade's website and find the answers for yourself.

I mention no names because that is not the topic of this post. The topic of this post is why people make bad decisions.

Consider:

Why would two highly experienced police detectives stop their car at one in the morning in a cold and heavy fog to spprehend two people?

Why would a 15 year old white male be out on the streets at one in the morning apparently attempting to buy or sell drugs? With a gun?

Why would said suspect not only flee from a police officer, but then turn and fire on him?

And, more importantly, why do people make bad decisions that can lead to the end of their lives? Is this a conscious choice? Or is it instinct?

Have we, as human beings, truly not progressed further, emotionally and intellectually, than the first neanderthal in prehistoric times that bashed his fellow neanderthal over the head in order to steal his fresh kill?

Can we ever become better than that? Are we not capable of making good decisions in times of crisis?

As much as I would like to say yes, the truth is that throughout the course of history, bad decisions have outnumbered good ones by a considerable margin. And the only reason that we as a race have not destroyed ourselves many times over is because at several key points in history people have made good decisions.

Whether this was by the grace of some Higher Power or simply the result of enough good people being in the right place at the right time, we may never know. We can only hope that the trend continues.

In the meantime, I will mourn the loss of an experienced police detective, who leaves behind a wife and two children. And I will mourn the loss of the life of a young boy on the cusp of adulthood, who may never again experience another day of freedom.

Both of them made bad decisions. Only one will have to live with it.

Bravo, Dixie Chicks!

First an aside: Sorry I haven't posted in quite a while. I've been UNBELIEVEABLY busy the past few weeks. My office is in the midst of a political transition to a new boss and I've been doing a lot. Most of it unwillingly.

But I had to post today. Last night, The Dixie Chicks took top honors at the Grammy awards, earning five, including best album and best song.

And may I say again, Bravo!

Any group that can take the kind of abuse they have suffered for nearly four years and not only suck it up but EMBRACE it and then record a song that is basically a four-minute long FUCK YOU! to all of the people who gave them, in no particular order, hate mail, disc destruction parties, death threats, and constant verbal and written abuse, just to name a few things. I really can't blame them for being just a little--no, a LOT--bitter.

And no one else can and should blame them, either.

And last night proved it.

And now, I offer to you the lyrics from the song "Not Ready to Make Nice":

Forgive, sounds good.
Forget, I'm not sure I could.
They say time heals everything,
But I'm still waiting

I'm through, with doubt,
There's nothing left for me to figure out,
I've paid a price, and i'll keep paying

I'm not ready to make nice,
I'm not ready to back down,
I'm still mad as hell
And I don't have time
To go round and round and round
It's too late to make it right
I probably wouldn't if I could
Cause I'm mad as hell
Can't bring myself to do what it is
You think I should

I know you said
Why can't you just get over it,
It turned my whole world around
and i kind of like it

I made by bed, and I sleep like a baby,
With no regrets and I don't mind saying,
It's a sad sad story
That a mother will teach her daughter
that she ought to hate a perfect stranger.
And how in the world
Can the words that I said
Send somebody so over the edge
That they'd write me a letter
Saying that I better shut up and sing
Or my life will be over

I'm not ready to make nice,
I'm not ready to back down,
I'm still mad as hell
And I don't have time
To go round and round and round
It's too late to make it right
I probably wouldn't if I could
Cause I'm mad as hell
Can't bring myself to do what it is
You think I should

I'm not ready to make nice,
I'm not ready to back down,
I'm still mad as hell
And I don't have time
To go round and round and round
It's too late to make it right
I probably wouldn't if I could
Cause I'm mad as hell
Can't bring myself to do what it is
You think I should

Forgive, sounds good.
Forget, I'm not sure I could.
They say time heals everything,
But I'm still waiting

(Lyrics from cowboylyrics.com)

I really think you should pay particular attention to one particular section: "It's a sad sad story That a mother will teach her daughter that she ought to hate a perfect stranger".

Seriously. Where do people think kids learn this stuff from?

Good night, and good luck.

Reaching Out

The three people who read this Blog know that I am a registerd Repulican.

They also know that I am a RINO

For those uneducated, that means Republican In Name Only.

The only Republican I ever voted for was my boss, Larry Kacala. And that was because he was one of the few candidates for political office I have met who dared to put doing his job before pandering to political interests.

And he was defeated for that reason.

In Our country politics are often placed before reason.

And that is a shame.

Our office has been held as a standard for other Auditor's offices to follow. That could NOT have happened without the cooperation of everyone in the office, regardless of the initial after their nme.

So I will work to make sure that that most important office in the county remains free of political consideratiosn. No matter what it costs me.

America must keep woriking. Regardless of who steers it.

So, What's Been Happening?

Well, many things:

Ohio State performed a complete meltdown in the National Championship game, with their offense accumulating a total of 82 yards, which turned out to be 11 yards less than the return by Ted Ginn Jr. accumulated when he returned the opening kickoff for a touchdown.

Draft * I * Tis (n): A condition suffered by many college football playing juniors and seniors. Symptoms can manifest as poor play in post-season games, leaving games early with "injuries", and overly conservative play-calling to avoid possible career-ending injuries.

What Else?

The Toledo Blade has gone on a serious hate campaign towards my boss, the outgoing Auditor of Lucas County. Why? Well, no one knows for sure, but it's possibly because once upon a time, he called one of tho Publishers' ex-girlfriend a psychopath.

Yes, he's that petty.

What Else?

The Patriots, Bears, Saints, and Colts all make it to their respective championship games.

Nobody is surprised about the Patriots. Tom Brady is apparently the energizer bunny of football.

The bears are a mild surprise. But given that they seem to have finally found an offense to match their defense, it was sort of expected.

The Colts are a surprise. Nobody ever expected that Peyton Manning could FINALLY win a post-season game. Most people figured he was too busy shooting commercials.

The Saints are the biggest surprise, and the team I HAVE to root for this year. New Orleans needs some hope that there is a light at the end of the very long tunnel they've been in.

That's all for now.

The Year in Review, Part 2

So. Here we are with 2 days left in the year. I'd like to break down the significant events of the year, month-by-month. Please note that I have difficulty remembering things that happened 5 minutes ago, let alone 12 months ago, so there may be some lapses.

So without further ado:

JANUARY

Ohio State beats the snot out of Notre Dame in the Fiesta Bowl. Many sports commentators and others, including myself, predict that Ohio State will be playing there again next year, this time for all the marbles. Later events prove them correct.

FEBRUARY

My nephew, Grant, is born. No other important events happen this month. Period.

MARCH

The third anniversary of the unnecessary and dangerous invasion of Iraq comes and goes. American Soldiers continue to be killed and maimed for no good reason.

APRIL

Ohio institutes a law wherein all applicants for government jobs or contracts must fill out a form containing six yes or no questions. The questions ask them whether or not they belong to terrorist organizations, or have ever given material or financial support to known terrorist organizations. Answering yes to any one of the six questions means you not only will not get the job, but you will be reported to the Department of Homeland Security.

No, it's not a bad April Fool's joke. It just sounds like it is.

MAY

One of the Best shows on television, The West Wing, signs off after seven seasons. I am inconsolable for several days afterwards.

JUNE

June 6th, 2006, comes and goes. Despite the significance of the date (6-6-06), the world does not come to an end. Also, both the Detroit Red Wings and Pistons are eliminated from the playoffs, leaving Detroit's best hope for a championship in the hands of the Tigers. Strangely enough, this year that's not as funny as it sounds.

JULY

George W. Bush issues the first veto in the more than five years of his presidency. He vetoes a vote by congress to give federal funding for stem cell research. Once again, this president caves into the lunatic fringe.

AUGUST

Democrat Joe Lieberman loses his Senate primary race. He immediately files to run as an Independent. Proving that even Democrats can be jerks when they want to.

SEPTEMBER

The Toledo Mud Hens repeat as Governor's Cup Champions. Also, Ohio State begins its run towards the National Championship, including a sound thrashing of the Texas Longhorns--in Texas.

OCTOBER

The Detroit Tigers fall to the St. Louis Cardinals in the World Series. They first got there, though, by thrashing both the Yankees and the Oakland A's. Maybe next year...

NOVEMBER

The Republicans finally receive a much-deserved and long overdue electoral beating, losing both houses of congress and several state elections, including nearly every elected office in Ohio. Unfortunately, my well-liked Republican boss also lost his re-election bid, thus ruining an otherwise perfect election for me.

In addition, Ohio State beats Michigan and earns a spot in the National Championship game in January. Somewhere Woody Hayes is smiling.

DECEMBER

Another Chrismas comes--and goes. Our family celebrates. Some of us are here. Some are not. Some are long gone. But family is the most important thing in our lives, and we all should NEVER forget that.

Have a safe and happy new year, everyone!

The Year in Review, Part 1

So, here we are with less than 4 days left in the year, and what a momentous year it has been. In fact, this year has been so momentous, I have to split it into two entries to get it all in. So, in this first entry, I will list my favorite parts of the year. In part 2, hopefully posted tomorrow, will contain a month-by-month review as best I can recollect it.

So, without further ado:

BEST MOMENT OF THE YEAR
My nephew, Grant Thomas Mikesell, was born on Feb 28th!

Runner-up:
My sister announcing that a new brother or sister will be joining him next year!

WORST MOMENT OF THE YEAR
Our much-beloved Republican boss (how often can you use the words "much-beloved" and "Republican" in the same sentence?) was swept out of office in the anti-Republican fervor that swept the city, state, and coutry.

Runner-up:
Watching our local newspaper, which both I and my dad have worked for, treat its unionized workers like shit while pretending to stand up for the common man.

BEST MOVIE OF THE YEAR (That I have seen)
This was a tough choice. I didn't see many movies this year, but I have to go with:
X-Men 3: The Last Stand
I'm sorry, but even if it was a summer popcorn flick, there was some genuinely good writing behind it. And it raises some important questions. For example, is there a difference between being "different" and being "exceptional"?

Runner-up
Flags of our Fathers
If you didn't already see this, go see it NOW!

By the way, I don't make decisions on movies I haven't seen yet. So, keeping that in mind:

MOVE I WISH I'D SEEN THIS YEAR
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead man's chest
I admit it: I liked the first one, and I'm sorry I never got around to seeing this one. And not just because I think Keira Knightley is HAWT! (Which she is!)

Runner-up
Cars
I've loved just about everything Pixar has put out since Toy Story.

MOVIE RELEASED THIS YEAR I STILL HOPE TO SEE IN A THEATRE:
Shut up and Sing
I'm no fan of country music (an oxymoron, in my opinion), but any band of hot chicks with a lead singer that can dis Bush in public, endure the wrath of former fans because of it, and then record a big "Fuck You" song to those former fans ("I'm not Ready to Make Nice") on their follow-up album, is a band that deserves my attention.

Runner-up
The Good Shepherd
Even my dad wants to see this one, and he's pretty well turned off by any movie that isn't about Japan or WW2.

MOVIE THAT I'M GLAD I FINALLY SAW ON DVD
Thank You for Smoking
This may be the best non-issue-movie issue movie I've seen this year (and the funniest!)

Runner-up
A Prairie Home Companion
I have always liked the show, and watching the Robert Altman treatment of it was quite a show.

An aside: I know both of the previous movies came out this year, but neither of them made it to Toledo, at least not for any length of time.

And, keeping in mind that I only review movies I've seen:

WORST MOVIE OF THE YEAR
Superman Returns
I know I'll get some flak for this one, but I just didn't like it!
I don't think the movie was necessarily bad, but it's just that it had very little difference from the first one. And let's face it: Viewed from today's lens, the first one was pretty lame. Consider:

Subject of first movie: Superman comes to Earth
Subject of latest movie: Superman comes to Earth
Villian of first movie: Lex Luthor
Villian of latest movie: Lex Luthor
Villain's weapon of choice in first movie: Kryptonite
Villain's weapon of choice in latest movie: Kryptonite
Hero's introduction in first movie: Saves Lois Lane
Hero's introduction in latest movie: Saves Lois Lane
Tender movie moment of first movie: Flying with Lois Lane
Tender movie moment of latest Movie: Flying with Lois Lane
"Villain neutralizes hero with" of first movie: Kryptonite
"Villain neutralizes hero with" of latest movie: Kryptonite
"Hero saved by" in first movie: Mortal
"Hero saved by" in latest movie: Mortals (only a slight difference)
Villain undone by in first movie: A Woman
Villain undone by in latest movie: A Woman
Starting to sense a trend here?!

No Runner-up in this category (I didn't see enough movies!)

MOVIE I'M GLAD I DIDN'T SEE THIS YEAR
Miami Vice

I don't care what the reviews said: I have two words for you: Colin. Farrell.

Runner-up
Too many to list here.

FAVORITE TV SHOW THIS YEAR
Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip
This show, created by the creators of The West Wing, and aimed at fans of same, captured my appeal from the first show, and while it wavered over the early season, it went right back with the Christmas episode. I hope this show is around for the long haul.

Runner-up
Tie: Heroes and Jericho
Heroes is a sort of cross between X-Men and The X-Files and it appeals to me. And Jericho is that sort of "this could really happen here tomorrow" show that makes me hope that maybe this country might finally wake up and take some interest in finding out what to do should the worst happen. If you wonder what I'm talking about, go back two posts.

BEST SPORTS-RELATED MOMENT OF THE YEAR
Ohio State 42. Michigan 39
'Nuff said

Runner-up
The Mud Hens win the Governor's Cup for the second year in a Row

WORST SPORTS-RELATED MOMENT OF THE YEAR
The Tiger's lose the World Series
So close, and yet so far...

Runner-Up
Watching Lloyd Landis's drug-related meltdown
As if cycling needed another drug scandal...

Well, that's all I've got for now. More in the next post.

Busy busy busy!

So I haven't posted in a while. It's been a busy few weeks for me.

Why? Well, I'm glad you asked, Chester!

Y'see, I work in a local government office. My Boss is a Republican. And if you held major elected office in Ohio, and you had an "R" behind your name on the ballot in November, you were pretty much guaranteed a loss in the election.

Republicans who held major elected office in Ohio faced a major case of "let's throw the bums out" disease this election season, as did Republicans in most other states this year. And for the most part, they deserved it.

But in a few cases, they didn't. My boss was one of those. And he is one of the few Republicans I like.

So, as a union steward, and as a representative of a Union that supported him, I've been working hard to make sure that his people, who were all deservedly appointed by him, keep the jobs they deserve.

I can't do much, but I can ensure that our office keeps functioning in the extraordinarily efficient way that it has continued to do since my boss got his job more than a decade ago.

And if that angers a few local Democrats, so be it. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

"What's a Mushroom Cloud?"

You may wonder why the title is in quotes. Well, Chester, I'll tell you.

Y'see, I was discussing the new CBS series Jericho with a few of my co-workers a few days ago. I was explaining the premise of the show, how residents of a small town in Mid-Kansas suddenly one day see a mushroom cloud off to the far west of their town. In the middle of this, one of them stopped me and said, "What's a mushroom cloud?"

I was speechless.

At first, I thought she was kidding me. It took a few moments to realize this was a serious question. When I did, my next reaction was stunned disbelief.

(Please, please, PLEASE tell me that none of the three people reading this need me to explain to them what a M.C. is!)

So after a few moments of dazed silence, I politely explained. She seemed satisfied.

I headed back to my desk. I began to rationalize it. After all, this particular co-worker is only in her early 20's. She was in elementary school when the Cold War ended. She never grew up under the sword of a potential Nuclear attack. Heck, I hardly think about it myself.

So I asked my supervisor, a woman in her late 40's if she knew what I was talking about.

No. Clue.

Now I realize that in this day and age, there are more pressing concerns than knowing what a nuclear explosion looks like. But surely we all studied how World War II ended with Hiroshima and Nagasaki. And we've surely all seen the pictures in the history books. Or at the very least a documentary on the History channel!

After September 11th, everything changed. We no longer have the right to feel absolutely sure that nothing more horrendous than those dreadful incidents could ever happen here. It's a dangerous world out there. And we have to be sure that when or if, God forbid, a major attack occurs in our country, we are prepared for it.

Knowing what one might look like might be a good first step toward that.

Good night, and good luck.

Studio 60 = SAVED!

I've been watching the new NBC show Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip since its premiere this season. Created by Aaron Sorkin, this show was obviously aimed at fans of The West Wing like me. And it had my attention, at first.

But my interest in it waned over the season, as the episodes after the pilot seemed weak.

But tonight, with the Christmas episode, my interest has returned. With a vengeance.

This show, with tonight's episode, has recaptured me. With a beartrap. And a tractor beam.

I will now continue to watch this show regularly. Until it no longer possesses the power that tonight's episode had.

Which I hope will not happen soon.

Good night, and good luck.

Go Buckeyes!

OH YEAH!

OHIO STATE 42
MICHIGAN 39

The Buckeyes are headed for Arizona
The Wolverines are headed home.

So here's what could happen:
Rutgers could end up with one or two losses
USC could end up with two losses, thanks to a loss to Cal or Notre Dame
Notre Dame could end up with two losses if they lose to USC
Notre Dame could end up with one loss if they beat USC
It will be Ohio State vs. Notre Dame for the National Championship, if Notre Dame wins out
If Rugers wins out, it will be Rutgers vs. Ohio State for the national championship
If Rutgers loses out, it will be Notre Dame vs. Ohio State for the National Championshi
If Rutgers, Notre Dame, and USC all lose a game, it WILL be Ohio State and Michigan in a rematch for the National Championship.

This is why I love College Football!

Update (12/3/06): Who ever figured Florida? And by one one-hundredth of a point?!

#1 vs #2, cont.

Those crazy Michigan fans!

They'll do anything to make sure their team beats Ohio State.

Including slipping Bo Schembechler a fatal mickey the day before the game.

O.K., O.K., that's not what happened. I mean, the guy was 77, with a history of heart disease. He was living on borrowed time. The fact he lived as long as he did was a tribute to the miracle of modern medicine.

But it will give the Wolverines an added emotional boost, one that just might boost them over the top, if Lloyd Carr knows how to work his team.

I can see it now: Black headbands on the players, black "BO"'s on the helmets, comments in the pre-game interviews saying, "we've gotta win this one for Bo", etc., etc., ad nauseaum.

To the Buckeyes, I say this: Do. Not. Let. It. Get. To. You.

You want to honor Bo, attend his funeral, in fine suits, with Michigan lapel pins on one lapel, and, more importantly, with gold pants pins on the other. Attend it AFTER you send the Wolverines home with their first loss of the season.

This is about the game, pure and simple. Do not let up on them for one minute. A great football legend has fallen. But he's not YOUR football legend.

Remember that this is a man who was an assistant coach under the great Woody Hayes for years, until he left to coach Woody's archrival. Traitor.

1 vs. 2

So. On the 18th, Ohio State will play the team from That State Up North for the Big Ten Championship.

And what a game it will be!

This will be the first non-championship game between the number 1 and number 2 team in the country.

And I have to say that this WILL BE THE national championship game.

Screw the Fiesta Bowl. This is THE game.

Go Buckeyes!

So Now What?

So. The Democrats now control both houses of Congress. For the first time in over a decade.

And they did it by promising to swoop in and sweep away a corrupt, scandal-ridden, Republican-controlled Congress.

Let us pause for a moment and reflect back on what brought this on.

12 years ago, Republicans swept into power by promising to clean up a mess of corruption in the Democrat-controlled house. Prior to that, Democrats had controlled congress for over 40 years.

And in that space of twelve years, the Republicans have gone from the party of cleaning house to a party that needs a house cleaner.

So how do we keep the Democrats from doing the same thing?

Well, for starters, we keep our eyes on them. The news cycles cannot possibly be controlled nearly as tightly as they were 12, 6, or even 4 years ago. With the vast internet media machine (of which this humble blog is a small, insignificant, yet vital part), nothing can be kept secret for long. And at the first, barest, hint that the Democrats are starting to go the same way, we must all shine the blinding spotlight of truth on them and root out that corruption.

Because that is the only way we can keep ourselves from becoming them.

Adventures with AdSense, Part 2

When I first started this my humble blog, I decided to allow Google AdSense ads on the site. I also made the decision that any profits generated by these ads would be donated to the U.S.O.

And over the past couple of years, there have been some pretty amusing ads that popped up.

But this one tops them all:



ANN FUCKING COULTER'S COLUMN FREE?!!!

ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!!!

I've had to put up with a lot of silly stuff, but this is beyond the pale.

Too much more of this, and those ads are GONE! If it wasn't in service of a good cause, they'd be gone already.

Oh well. Maybe I shouldn't be too mad at Google. After all, they do seem to know at least one thing that's correct!

Handing Out Canes

Tonight, I watched Keith Olberman's latest Special Comment on the maximum fuss being repeated ad nauseum about Senator Kerry's gaffe.

And again, I wish that Mr. Olberman was not a minor voice, swimming on a cacophony of voices crying out for attention in this our world.

I would ask you the three readers of this blog to go to google and search for "olberman".

And watch every one of the "special comments" he has made.

Because I believe they might truly educate you on what this country is about.

That is all.

No, Tigers!

What the hell is going on?!

The series is not following the script!

The Tigers' blazing ace pitchers were supposed to quiet the Cardinal bats.

The Tigers' power hitters were supposed to light up the scoreboard.

The Tigers' excellent defense was supposed to work them out of any jam.

So.

The Tigers' aces have been trumped by hot Cardinal bats. The only one who has been effective was the crafty old veteran, Kenny Rogers.

The Tigers' bats have been largely silent.

The Tigers have committed error after error, and have at least 6 unearned runs to show for it.

Now they are one game away from elimination.

And I can't stand it!

Go Red Wings!

Flags of Our Fathers

Four words: Go. See. This. Movie.

Just came back from seeing it and I've gotta say, Wow.

I don't think I've ever seen a more honest look at the human face of the heroes we idolize.

You see, there are few heroes these days. Few genuine, honest-to-God, All-American heroes.

Today, we idolize the likes of Paris Hilton, Tom Cruise, and other cream puff celebrities.

Today, people who plunge an entire conquered country into chaos, or lie to mislead us into an unnecessary war, are awarded Presidential Medals of Freedom.

Today, people who dare to have the moral courage to stand up and speak the truth to a corrupt power are shouted down by an outraged chorus of wingnuts and blowhards.

And, today, people who perform genuine acts of physical and moral courage go unnoticed in the din of today's 24-hour media circus.

So when we are given a chance to take an inside look at the real people behind the hero facade, we should take advantage of that opportunity.

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.