Leave Kids games to the kids.

First off - Merry Christmas everyone. Except those of the Talmudic faith in which case Happy Hanakuh. Oh, and it's a Christmas, not a Holiday Tree. But let's throw out a good five or six hundred years of tradition cause some atheist gets his panties in a twsit. But I digress...

I just read a story where a Little League manager ordered his kids to bean one of his own players becuase the kid wasn't good enough in the manager's opinion. If that's not stupid enough, the beaned kid was also mildly mentally retarded and autistic (which is why he isn't good enough). I can't go on enough how much I hate asshats like this guy. He's like the manager of the Yankees in [i]Bad News Bears[/i]. Living out his own competitive desires thorugh kids drives me nuts. Let them live their own lives. But it's even worse to do this to a kid who is disabled. Jerks like this - and the Parents are usually no better, are the ones who argue with umpires, curse, scream, embarrass their kids openly when they haven't done anything behaviorally wrong (I have no problem is the kid is acting out and they put him in his place.), and otherwise ruin the kids experience. But this guy takes the cake. And worse, he is totally unrepentant and claims it never happened even though it is corraborated by several people. AS punishment, someone should bring in Randy Johnson or perhaps Kyle Farnsworth (who hits over 100 on the radar gun) and repeatedly through fastballs at this guy's nuts until he can't procreate again. You sir, are Fuckface of the week.

Politicians Suck

One thing before I start : Will the two people in my second post please break it up. I do not need the Battle of Veracruz Part II. Thank you. I restrict my hate towards the Mexican Soccer Team only as most Central Americans and Mexicans I have met are good people.

Today's lesson kids : Politicians suck. They don't represent us, they represent the people with the cash. You know, the ones who grab 2.4 million dollar in bribes. You know, the ones who go to war so their buddies can make more profit - cause, you know, destabilizing the Middle East is such a fabulous idea. After all, it isn't like that area of the world isn't already a powder keg of Artestian proportions. I read about the "Duke" Cunningham today and was so thoroughly disgusted with the way politics work in this country. I look at our possible candidates for 2008, and can only hope we get someone the American people can trust. My guess is McCain gets sullied again (I respect the man greatly even as I disagree with him. It's more than I can say for most people) and Guiliani gets routed by the Social Conservatives of the party, leaving George Allen. And on the Dems side, there is the ultimate carpetbagging political opportunist (The Former First Lady), and not much else. Thank God I have a passport.

Someone once asked me not too long ago, what party I belonged to. I told him none that exist. I ask two very very very simple things of my chief executive (or any politican really): Competency and Fiscal Sanity. Is that so fucking difficult? Or is the process by which people grab power so screwed up that all the good people don't bother anymore? Could you imagine a gawky thinvoiced Thomas Jefferson on TV? (Lincoln, despite looking a bit like a hairy gorilla, would have that downhome folksy thing down pat).

Sorry I'm so scattershot today, I'll try to focus better next time

We Mourn a Great American

I am sure that by now you have all heard of the passing of Rosa Parks, activist, and catalyst of the final stage of the Civil Rights Movement. One word. That's all it took. One ember to set ablaze the smoldering passions of Black America and to starkly light up just how "separate but equal" had betrayed the best intentions of America the Free, Land of Democracy.

"No."

She simply said "no." No to the back of the bus. No to Separate water fountains. Separate schools. Lunch Counters. Treat us like human beings we are worthy of at least that dignity. I can't even imagine what that must have been like, and I am glad I can't.

We, as Americans, have come a very long way in race relations. Most of the Overt signs of Jim Crow have long since vanished. However, it still exists in subtler forms, even today. As Rosa Parks shuffled off her mortal coil, News corporations perpetuate the stereotype of looting black people down in New Orleans, and some blacks believe that the government weakened the levees on purpose. Trust is still fully lacking. I can only hope it lessens with each generation. We can continue Rosa Park's legacy by confronting the worst in ourselves and in others, and simply uter that one word

No.

Wide world of sports Part II

And now for other sports items :


New York Yankees. Yet another blown postseason. They've been getting the crap knocked out of them now for 5 straight seasons, including the Biggest. Choke. Ever. It's turning slowly into the 80s all over again, when Georgie just threw money at questionable pitchers and hitters yet again.

1b - Giambi deserves another chance here, he did well in the second half of the season. As far as Tino backing up, I loved the guy, but I'd rather not.

2b - Robbie Cano is definitely on the road to superstardom. Showed he can handle the pressure well and can actually field. He's gonna be real good. I hope he wins Rookie of the Year

ss - Derek Jeter is the Ultimate Yankee (now picture the facepaint). One of the few players who would have fit in with those corporate Yankee teams. On second thought, he would never get into a fight at the CopaCabana, so scratch that

3b - A-Rod is going to have a very very brutal season next year. Oh, he'll hit 40+ HRs and bat .330, but come October, the pressure to perform is going ot be all on him. And it is shown he can't handle playoff pressure. It's kinda sad when you know your most expensive player/ MVP candidate is going to ground into a key DP in October. Lost of people knew that Jeter would get a hit and A-Rod would screw it up. Plus those purple lips make him look like a freakin corpse. Expect the boo-birds and talk show yammerers to be out in full force upon his dainty little psyche. COuld get real ugly. I'd trade him right now for prospects and RPs if I were George.

rf/lf - Matsui is another very good ballplayer. Sure Georgie is gonna have to pay through the nose this year, but he is a very solid member of the team. SHeffield is another solid member.

cf - Bernie Williams was a great Yankee, and I wish him well, but we need a young, speedy, defense first CFer and that aint you.

c - Posada hit .260 and 20 HRs, yet somehow that's bad? So he's back down to normal catcher numbers. He's also gotten better handling pitchers and throwing batters out. I'll take that trade on a team with this much power.

So in the field, the only two changes I want is A-Rod gone (call it the Garciaparra Syndrome) and a new CFer. Nothing else really needs to be touched.

Pitching

Here is where the Yankees most expensive busts have occured and where George just needs to not listen to those idiots down in Tampa. Oh, and George? Pettite, Clemens, El Duque and Contreras are all pitching in the WS. Great fucking job - especialy in dumping Pettite. Never understood what you had against him. Never.

Randy Johnson choked in the one game they needed him. I mean, I'll gave him another chance, but really, that's just unacceptable for your ace to blow the one game he is starting in the playoffs.

Mike Mussina is the ultimate second banana/loser in big spots/almost man. As such he is a cancer that needs to go immediately. He is on the last year of his contract, so I'd love him gone. AInt gonna happen though until next year

Carl Pavano - who's he? yeah that's what I thought. I'll give him a pass unless he is hurt next year.

Jaret Wright - So George, you let John Lieber (you know, the only guy who actually pitched well in 2004 playoffs), then sign an injury prone bum like Jaret Wright. You always knew it was going to end badly,

Which leaves Aaron Small, Shawn Chacon, and Chien Ming Wang - all better be back in the starting rotatiom or else I consider the Yanks braintrust , well brainless

The Pen needs to be exploded, thank god Tom "Vomit Boy" Gordon is gone. Rivera is the only guy worth keeping. Everyone else is absolutely miserable. Miserable.

So the Yanks just need tweaking next year : Three relievers, a CF, and A-Rod gone, and they'll be set for another WS run.

Catching up - wide world of sports edition

Several Items

1) As you obviously have figured out I am lazy. This thing isn't updated nearly as often as it should. That's my fault. Expext shorter and more frequent blogs in the future.

2) I'd like to pimp a few blogs and sites : bigfootball.com, a message bord to talk about all things football. I'm involved, so it's prety good - and so far there really isn't the idiot quotient that other boards suffer from yet. as far as blogs go - I would highly recommend logansrevenge if you are a soccer fan, some funny inside stuff. I would also reccomend a new blog called "hope actually", which will be about dating and girl advice from the vantage point of people who have definitely been there down that. Having availed myslef of Hope's advice before, I can assure you it's good.

Now on to my Wide World of Sports edition

I am a Notre Dame graduate in case you didn't know. So while I'm proud of the effort put forth, I am still gutted that ND couldn't make the final freakin play to finish off USC. Just gutted. I hope the team does a better job of preparing for BYU than I am. I understand it was a classic, but that doesn't make me feel any better. ND has been on the losing end of entirely too many close games lately, that's got to stop. Now. And if we can all please shut up about clocks, pushes, and fumble spots, I'd be much obliged. We lost. End of story. Didn't get it done. Sucks, yes, but tough on us.

It also has now confirmed that we will win a national title under Charlie Weis sooner rather than later. Wow is he good. My mom always says, "God works in mysterious ways" I usually laugh at her. But if ND gets Urban Meyer, someone else gets Charlie Weis, and ND is worse off.

I have no problems with ND being ranked in the BCS where they are ranked. They have beaten no one of significance yet (Michigan beath themselves - if they had played a halfway decent game, they win.) and even a win vs. what could be a broken Tennessee team (I 'figger Bama to beat them badly) won't help their awful computer scheduling. Blame someone for this? Don't blame the computers. Blame Pitt, Purdue, Michigan, and Tennessee for having inexplicably(OK in Pitts case it;s explicable - Wannstedt) less then stellar seasons. Blame Ty and Bob Davie's ineptitude for making the rules more stringent. Don't blame the computers though.

Part II to come

It's been two months

And I have been strangely quiet. So at some point, there will probably be a two-fer rant. Always fun for the kids.

First, it's a damn shame that talking about where I work could possibly get me in trouble. Just let's say that many people are at the bottom of the gene pool and leave it at that. We could cut the salary's of two CEOs (BTW, our company stock is in the tank, good job asshats, here's more money to fuck us over even more.), create about 20 more jobs paying a competitive salary and go ahead and cut the dead weight around here. Right now, in terms of competitiveness, we're the Jamaican Bobsled team. Hence the dead weight

Second. the telephone has become the bane of my working existence. Way too many people hide behind the phones, screen calls, and surf the web all day. I need to speak to these people to et issues resolved, but they'd rather stick their head in the sand and not deal with my questions. So rather than give someone the courtesy of a call back, I just get ignored. I don't do ignore very well, which means that when I finally do get them (after four calls), I'm not in the best of moods.

My other main problem with the phone? I WOULD LIKE TO TALK TO A WARM BODY IN CUSTOMER SERVICE EVERY FUCKING NOW AND THEN!!!!!!! OR EVEN A COLD ONE!!!!!!! I have just gotten off the phone, pressing numbers and jumping through hoops like an absolute mad man, and I still can't get to a real live person. My inquries do NOT fit into a neat round peg, and can not be solved by pressing buttons all day. Press 1, 2, 3, fuck it. Please "say" Yes or No. I don't enjoy sounding like I have Tourettes - long silences punctuated by the occasional ejaculation (shut up.). Credit card companies, banks, cable companies, - If today you are on your meunstral cycle, please press 1. Newsflash : Osama Bin Laden is living in some hole in India, hidden and doing customer service all day. Not like anyone is ever going to find him anyway.

More fun with plastic explosives

Well, it was only a matter of time now wasn't it?

I mean, I can't say I'm shocked. This time London was the recepient of Al-Qaeda's peculiar brand of "justice". And one again, let me say, you picked the wrong victims. These are the people that survived the Nazis - your piffling efforts aren't going to amount to anything.
Next time, you might want to try those cheese eating surrender monkeys. or snail eating prophets of appeasement. Your mileage may vary.

What was the point of this? It's not like Al-Qaeda bombing Londoners is going to change the situation with regards to Iraq or Pakistan. Terrorism is the last violent refuge of the powerless : a paroxysm of a dying way of life - overrun by Coca-Cola and MTV and consipicuous consumption. I know very well what Al-Qaeda is against : The US, Western culture, imperialism, the whole works. But what indeed is it for?

*crickets chirping*

a change back to the middle ages. Women? second class citizens. Beards? a must. Intellectuals? to be feared and abhorred. We tried their way already - it was called the Khmer Rouge. and how did that work out for ya.

What we need to see is the moderate Muslim to take back their religion, much in the same way the moderate Christian must take back his from the clutches of the Fallwells and Reeds of the world. In deeds and words. And if they are (which I have seen no evidence), then the media must do a better job of covering it rather than looking for the divisiveness within all of us.

In an age of niche driven politics and tastes, extremists will always have an edge because by there very nature they are fantical about what they believe in where as the middle gets all chopped up into tiny little sections that make it lose their voice. The Muslim world must find it's collective voice and shout down these idiots once and for all. The sooner the better.

America, fuck yeah

I'm going to hold off on several items for the time being, cause at the risk of losing my cache, I need to get this off my chest.

Today, I was watching a fireworks display at the local golf course (a tradition that dates back to since before I was born), and well, I got to thinking (usually a dangerous proposition with me, but I digress...)

I love America. There. I said it. I. Love. America.

Here, despite what Michael Moore or Ralph Reed or whatever demagouge screeches out their tired message from their media pulpits, we are still free. Hell we actually allow these clowns a public stage

I am free to criticize and pillory any public official, and I won't end up in a a prison cell or in the tender embrace of Bombassa the Whip-Handed.

I am free to watch American Idol, Road Rules, That Ballroom Dancing Show...or not. If American Culture is going to hell in a handbasket, at least it's America's choice. Some people will destroy themselves in a mountain of cocaine the size of Montana, America will do so on the back of the popularity of Survivor.

I get to choose my elected official. And believe it or not, if they screw up, I can *gasp* vote to replace them by someone who has goshdarn differences of opinion. Well, as long as John Kerry isn't his opponent. Any lack of accountability in our elected officials is our fault as an electorate for not paying attention, not theirs. (Ok, this deserves it's own entry around November)

I can get my porn fix in America, no problem. And unlike Germany we don't make that disgusting shit. And the previous sentence shall be taken literally



Females in America are not hounded by others to hide their intelligence and beauty behind a veil and burqua. If they want to show their patriotism wearing a star-spangled bikini, god bless 'em, and if god didn't bless them, we'll turn away, wince, and snicker for the next ten minutes.

America is still the land of opportunity. You have the Indians busting their ass at the quickie mart 24/7 or Greeks busting their ass at a diner or any number of a myriad of different people busting their ass to make themselves better coming over from foreign countries because our way of life is so much better than where they came from. Even the Mexican busboys.

There are times that we are so wrapped up in our petty little differences, and thinking that if the other side is allowed sway, America is ruined ; Rove is the Anti-Christ! Damned liberals will let Wille Horton run free! - I am guilty of this as anyone. But I have seen America at it's worst, and America at it's best (right after 9-11. I wish I could bottle that feeling, I really do. Again, another blog come Spetember)

If America survived the Civil War, or after the downturn and urban blight of the 70s, and if it survived the Great Depression, and Millard Fillmore and Franklin Pierce and Watergate and McCarthyism and the KKK and racism and Chautaqua Tent Meetings. we'll pretty much survive anything thrown at us. Except Martians. We may have trouble with them.

Are there problems with America? Hell yeah. Have we seen similar problems before? Yes. Will we survive these problems? yes. Is there any other country that I would rather live my life in? No way. (although the ocassional vacation to Rio for Carnival or to Rome or Dublin is perfectly fine).

America : Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Damn, I love this place.