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!