Saturday, August 09, 2008
Jose Contrarian (Game 117)
In Chicago, Boston powered its way to a desperately needed 6-2 win. Dice K got win number 13, Jason Bay went hitless, which I don't think is legal, but Ortiz powered a 3 run double to give us the margin of victory. The starter for Chicago was Jose Contreras, the former Yankee who helped coin the term "Evil Empire". The aforementioned Empire got smacked around by those pesky Angles, while Tampa trails in Seattle as I type this.
RIP, Bernie Mac
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080809/ap_on_en_mo/obit_bernie_mac
Comedian and actor Bernie Mac is dead. Never a favorite of mine, but always an honest, forthright, sometimes cringe inducing voice of reason.
Comedian and actor Bernie Mac is dead. Never a favorite of mine, but always an honest, forthright, sometimes cringe inducing voice of reason.
Yet another f&*k up
http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/the_daily_dish/2008/08/the-hamdan-fias.html
Can anyone read this and explain to me how it is that Republicans are supposed to be protecting us from terrorism?
Can anyone read this and explain to me how it is that Republicans are supposed to be protecting us from terrorism?
Friday, August 08, 2008
John Edwards, I hardly knew ye
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/8/8/152532/8722/680/564782
Former Vice Presidential Candidate John Edwards admitted today that he did have an affair with the woman the National Enquirer reporters caught him with.
I guess, above all, I'm just disappointed. I didn't want it to be true. I thought he was above that.
You can say what you want-lots of people have affairs, including (ahem!) John McCain (ahem!), and its only a personal failing, and it's only.....blah blah blah.
It's wrong. It's none of our business, but it's wrong. He shouldn't have done it. I think less of him today than I did yesterday. Ever since 2004, seeing him on the convention stage with his boy, I really expected him to be different.
Hey, I'm a guy. I know acutely the temptations. (Well, not really. Nobody's made me an offer.) But every married man knows the feeling of longing.
You just don't do it, though. You don't.
Sigh.
Former Vice Presidential Candidate John Edwards admitted today that he did have an affair with the woman the National Enquirer reporters caught him with.
I guess, above all, I'm just disappointed. I didn't want it to be true. I thought he was above that.
You can say what you want-lots of people have affairs, including (ahem!) John McCain (ahem!), and its only a personal failing, and it's only.....blah blah blah.
It's wrong. It's none of our business, but it's wrong. He shouldn't have done it. I think less of him today than I did yesterday. Ever since 2004, seeing him on the convention stage with his boy, I really expected him to be different.
Hey, I'm a guy. I know acutely the temptations. (Well, not really. Nobody's made me an offer.) But every married man knows the feeling of longing.
You just don't do it, though. You don't.
Sigh.
Coulda Shoulda Manny Woulda (Game 116)
The Bad News theme in my reading continues, as I have begun Jane Meyer’s “The Dark Side”, a detailed accounting of how the United States became one nation under torture, first, last, and always.
I don’t know what it is that is sending me down this road, exactly. It’s sad and angry reading, with really no outlet for the feelings because there is no little to do about it. What touches me about all these books (“Greatest Story Ever Sold”, “State of Denial”, and now this one) is the accounts from people coming up with dissenting opinions and being brutalized-frozen out, fired, harassed into quitting. If you’re sure you’re right, if you’re sure that history will bear you out, you don’t need to torment your critics. It shows an elemental insecurity on the part of these people-they overcompensate by breathing fire at anyone who utters a discouraging word.
It’s just tragic, what they have done to government that used to be a government of laws.
The Ron Susskind book, of course, is all over the media. I’m not sure if I want to buy that-it seems like another tough read, and after “Dark Side”, I’m not sure if I can take any more. If his allegations are true, it is clearly an impeachable offense. The named sources in the book have made statements recanting what they said about the forgery in the book, but, as Susskind points out, you would expect someone currently working for a contractor and accepting US money to say that. Plus Susskind says he has them on tape, so that would tend to lean against them filing suit against him.
Plus, as I said, it falls in line with everything I know about this president and these people-it is easy to believe they would have done this.
Given that, absent proof to the contrary, I tend to believe the allegation is correct.
I think Farmer Jed Lowrie has earned a shot to stay at shortstop for Boston when Lugo is healthy. He’s hitting, and his defense doesn’t seem to be too bad. The Red Sox are in Chicago tonight, which is going to be a battle. Certainly a beatable team, but also a team that could punch us in the mouth and sweep us right back out of town.
The Brett Favre saga is over, and he is a New York Jet. Certainly gives the NFL season some spice, and puts Aaron Rodgers into the “I Can’t Do Anything Right” Babe Dahlgren Chair of Replacing a Legend at Sports University. A much, much larger problem than Jason Bay, but a similar one-the first time he does anything wrong, he’ll hear nothing but “the other guy woulda”.
Hard to imagine he makes the Jets a whole lot better, though they will certainly be better. (They could hardly be worse, after going 4-12).
The Patriots dropped their fantasy opener to the Ravens. From the highlights, it appeared to be simply a get through it type of game-not a whole lot of artistry on either side.
I’ll have to check on Atari Bigby to see if he’s done anything yet for the Packers. I don’t think they’ve played a preseason game yet. Atari Bigby-the Official Defensive Back With A Cool Name Of “Innocents and Accidents, Hints And Allegations”.
In Chicago, Chicago (Not My Kind of Town, Chicago Is), Boston falls to the White Stockings, 5-3. Mark Buerhle threw 7 shutout innings, and an 8th inning rally falls short. Jason Bay had only one hit-then again, the whole team only had 5.
Tampa is winning in Seattle, and New York is losing in Anaheim against the Angles.
We are still waiting on Atari Bigby News-Green Bay's first exhibition game is Monday.
I don’t know what it is that is sending me down this road, exactly. It’s sad and angry reading, with really no outlet for the feelings because there is no little to do about it. What touches me about all these books (“Greatest Story Ever Sold”, “State of Denial”, and now this one) is the accounts from people coming up with dissenting opinions and being brutalized-frozen out, fired, harassed into quitting. If you’re sure you’re right, if you’re sure that history will bear you out, you don’t need to torment your critics. It shows an elemental insecurity on the part of these people-they overcompensate by breathing fire at anyone who utters a discouraging word.
It’s just tragic, what they have done to government that used to be a government of laws.
The Ron Susskind book, of course, is all over the media. I’m not sure if I want to buy that-it seems like another tough read, and after “Dark Side”, I’m not sure if I can take any more. If his allegations are true, it is clearly an impeachable offense. The named sources in the book have made statements recanting what they said about the forgery in the book, but, as Susskind points out, you would expect someone currently working for a contractor and accepting US money to say that. Plus Susskind says he has them on tape, so that would tend to lean against them filing suit against him.
Plus, as I said, it falls in line with everything I know about this president and these people-it is easy to believe they would have done this.
Given that, absent proof to the contrary, I tend to believe the allegation is correct.
I think Farmer Jed Lowrie has earned a shot to stay at shortstop for Boston when Lugo is healthy. He’s hitting, and his defense doesn’t seem to be too bad. The Red Sox are in Chicago tonight, which is going to be a battle. Certainly a beatable team, but also a team that could punch us in the mouth and sweep us right back out of town.
The Brett Favre saga is over, and he is a New York Jet. Certainly gives the NFL season some spice, and puts Aaron Rodgers into the “I Can’t Do Anything Right” Babe Dahlgren Chair of Replacing a Legend at Sports University. A much, much larger problem than Jason Bay, but a similar one-the first time he does anything wrong, he’ll hear nothing but “the other guy woulda”.
Hard to imagine he makes the Jets a whole lot better, though they will certainly be better. (They could hardly be worse, after going 4-12).
The Patriots dropped their fantasy opener to the Ravens. From the highlights, it appeared to be simply a get through it type of game-not a whole lot of artistry on either side.
I’ll have to check on Atari Bigby to see if he’s done anything yet for the Packers. I don’t think they’ve played a preseason game yet. Atari Bigby-the Official Defensive Back With A Cool Name Of “Innocents and Accidents, Hints And Allegations”.
In Chicago, Chicago (Not My Kind of Town, Chicago Is), Boston falls to the White Stockings, 5-3. Mark Buerhle threw 7 shutout innings, and an 8th inning rally falls short. Jason Bay had only one hit-then again, the whole team only had 5.
Tampa is winning in Seattle, and New York is losing in Anaheim against the Angles.
We are still waiting on Atari Bigby News-Green Bay's first exhibition game is Monday.
Thursday, August 07, 2008
Off Day
The Red Sox are off today.
Watched Neil Simon's "The Prisoner of Second Avenue" last night. Very good. Anne Bancroft, Jack Lemmon, and a very young Sylvester Stallone in a bit part. Lemmon is an ad man who loses his job, and then slowly loses his mind. Very well done. Enjoyable, but sad.
Watched Neil Simon's "The Prisoner of Second Avenue" last night. Very good. Anne Bancroft, Jack Lemmon, and a very young Sylvester Stallone in a bit part. Lemmon is an ad man who loses his job, and then slowly loses his mind. Very well done. Enjoyable, but sad.
Wednesday, August 06, 2008
Liveblogging: Hard Knocks 2008
This year it's the Cowboys-no surprise there. There is nothing the Cowboys like more than talking about the Cowboys.
(In Kansas City, Boston leads the Royals 5-2 in the seventh. Timmeh has gone six strong, and Jason Newkid is 2 for 4, with one run scored. While I was typing that, Jacoby Ellsbury blasted a three run homer to push the lead to 8-2. New York, who just learned that Joba is headed to the DL, is leading, and Tampa has won, so assuming the status remains quo, things will remain as they are. I guess that's redundant. But as I said, we're running out of time. We need Tampa to lose some ground.)
Jason Witten's kids are cute.
Of course, Pacman Jones and Terrell Owens are the stars of the show. As reprehensible as they may or may not be, they are magnetic personalities.
The insider stuff about trying to sign rookie Felix Jones is interesting. As much as the NFL is a game, and a huge business, the little things that this series really shows you what an unrelenting, demanding line of work it is.
(Youkilis left tonight's game with a bruised hand after being hit by a pitch. He is day to day. Then again, aren't we all? If he is lost for any length of time, we are in for a world of hurt.)
They're dealing frankly with struggling players like Martellus Bennett and Roy Williams-it's surprising how honest they are. The fringe players like Todd Lowber and Bennett make the most interesting stories.
Although this year, I think Green Bay DB Atari Bigby is going to be my blog obsession. I mean, his name's Atari.
(The Boston game is headed into the ninth, with Pap on to protect an 8-2 lead. I guess he needs the work, because the last few games haven't been close. I've got to turn in, so I'll see y'all in about 24 hours.)
(In Kansas City, Boston leads the Royals 5-2 in the seventh. Timmeh has gone six strong, and Jason Newkid is 2 for 4, with one run scored. While I was typing that, Jacoby Ellsbury blasted a three run homer to push the lead to 8-2. New York, who just learned that Joba is headed to the DL, is leading, and Tampa has won, so assuming the status remains quo, things will remain as they are. I guess that's redundant. But as I said, we're running out of time. We need Tampa to lose some ground.)
Jason Witten's kids are cute.
Of course, Pacman Jones and Terrell Owens are the stars of the show. As reprehensible as they may or may not be, they are magnetic personalities.
The insider stuff about trying to sign rookie Felix Jones is interesting. As much as the NFL is a game, and a huge business, the little things that this series really shows you what an unrelenting, demanding line of work it is.
(Youkilis left tonight's game with a bruised hand after being hit by a pitch. He is day to day. Then again, aren't we all? If he is lost for any length of time, we are in for a world of hurt.)
They're dealing frankly with struggling players like Martellus Bennett and Roy Williams-it's surprising how honest they are. The fringe players like Todd Lowber and Bennett make the most interesting stories.
Although this year, I think Green Bay DB Atari Bigby is going to be my blog obsession. I mean, his name's Atari.
(The Boston game is headed into the ninth, with Pap on to protect an 8-2 lead. I guess he needs the work, because the last few games haven't been close. I've got to turn in, so I'll see y'all in about 24 hours.)
More Suskind Info
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/8/5/172840/1570
An interesting analysis of the Suskind claims about the forged letter.
Adam Curry played a track by the rapper Paris on the Daily Source Code that was simply a section of Jeremiah Wright's famous "Chickens Come Home To Roost" sermon, set against a beat. I've been thinking about it ever since I heard it this morning.
Andrew Sullivan posted the complete text, back when it was still hot news.
http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/the_daily_dish/2008/03/the-wright-post.html
The excerpt from the track is this:
"...what Malcolm X said when he got silenced by Elijah Mohammad was in fact true, America's chickens are coming home to roost. We took this country, by terror, away from the Sioux, the Apache, the Arrowak (phonetic) the Comanche, the Arapajo, the Navajo. Terrorism--we took Africans from their country to build our way of ease and kept them enslaved and living in fear. Terrorism. We bombed Grenada and killed innocent civilians -- babies, non-military personnel. We bombed the black civilian community of Panama with Stealth Bombers and killed unarmed teenagers, and toddlers, pregnant mothers and hard working father. [fullest voice] We bombed Khadafi, his home and killed his child. Blessed be they who bash your children's head agains the rocks. [fullest voice] We bombed Iraq, we killed unarmed civilians trying to make a living. We bombed the plant in Sudan to payback for the attack on our embassy -- killed hundreds of hard working people --mothers and fathers, who left home to go that day, not knowing they'd never get back home. [Even fuller voice] We bombed Hiroshima, we bombed Nagasaki, and we nuked far more than the thousands in New York and the Pentagon and we never batted an eye. Kids playing in the playground, mothers picking up children after school -- civilians not soldiers. People just trying to make it day by day. We have supported state terrorism against the Palestinians and South Africa and now we are indignant? Because the stuff we have done overseas is brought back into our own front yard. America's chickens are coming home, to roost. Violence begets violence. Hatred begets hatred, and terrorism begets terrorism."
Is thst untrue? It's harsh, sure. Hard to listen to, yes. But is it untrue? Did we or did we not do those things?
Yes, obviously, the intent of Hiroshima and Nagasaki was to end a bloody, awful war. Yes, Israel has a right to defend itself. You could say that the difference between this American terrorism and 9/11 is that our intent was good. Sometimes. But dead people are just as dead when you mean well as when you mean ill.
And didn't the hijackers think they were doing good, too?
No, there isn't a direct link between Nagasaki and 9/11. But I think Wright is arguing here that there is a moral link, a spiritual link, and that it is hypocritical for Americans to decry terrorism when we have perpetrated it. He doesn't have any good answers, nor do I. I can think of times when violence is called for, and I think the Western armies do try to avoid killing civilians.
But ignoring what we've done-the blood spilt by my tax dollars and yours, even if we had the best of intentions-doesn't answer anything either.
An interesting analysis of the Suskind claims about the forged letter.
Adam Curry played a track by the rapper Paris on the Daily Source Code that was simply a section of Jeremiah Wright's famous "Chickens Come Home To Roost" sermon, set against a beat. I've been thinking about it ever since I heard it this morning.
Andrew Sullivan posted the complete text, back when it was still hot news.
http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/the_daily_dish/2008/03/the-wright-post.html
The excerpt from the track is this:
"...what Malcolm X said when he got silenced by Elijah Mohammad was in fact true, America's chickens are coming home to roost. We took this country, by terror, away from the Sioux, the Apache, the Arrowak (phonetic) the Comanche, the Arapajo, the Navajo. Terrorism--we took Africans from their country to build our way of ease and kept them enslaved and living in fear. Terrorism. We bombed Grenada and killed innocent civilians -- babies, non-military personnel. We bombed the black civilian community of Panama with Stealth Bombers and killed unarmed teenagers, and toddlers, pregnant mothers and hard working father. [fullest voice] We bombed Khadafi, his home and killed his child. Blessed be they who bash your children's head agains the rocks. [fullest voice] We bombed Iraq, we killed unarmed civilians trying to make a living. We bombed the plant in Sudan to payback for the attack on our embassy -- killed hundreds of hard working people --mothers and fathers, who left home to go that day, not knowing they'd never get back home. [Even fuller voice] We bombed Hiroshima, we bombed Nagasaki, and we nuked far more than the thousands in New York and the Pentagon and we never batted an eye. Kids playing in the playground, mothers picking up children after school -- civilians not soldiers. People just trying to make it day by day. We have supported state terrorism against the Palestinians and South Africa and now we are indignant? Because the stuff we have done overseas is brought back into our own front yard. America's chickens are coming home, to roost. Violence begets violence. Hatred begets hatred, and terrorism begets terrorism."
Is thst untrue? It's harsh, sure. Hard to listen to, yes. But is it untrue? Did we or did we not do those things?
Yes, obviously, the intent of Hiroshima and Nagasaki was to end a bloody, awful war. Yes, Israel has a right to defend itself. You could say that the difference between this American terrorism and 9/11 is that our intent was good. Sometimes. But dead people are just as dead when you mean well as when you mean ill.
And didn't the hijackers think they were doing good, too?
No, there isn't a direct link between Nagasaki and 9/11. But I think Wright is arguing here that there is a moral link, a spiritual link, and that it is hypocritical for Americans to decry terrorism when we have perpetrated it. He doesn't have any good answers, nor do I. I can think of times when violence is called for, and I think the Western armies do try to avoid killing civilians.
But ignoring what we've done-the blood spilt by my tax dollars and yours, even if we had the best of intentions-doesn't answer anything either.
Tuesday, August 05, 2008
No rat bastard he (I TOLD you he was awesome!)
Jason Bay, a former rat bastard canary Canadian, who is next going for both the Nobel and Booker Prizes, stroked 2 RBI doubles and scored two runs, pacing the Red Sox to an impending 8-2 whitewashing of the Kansas City Royals tonight, as they play the ninth inning. The game got so far out of hand they let Mike Timlin pitch.
In other news, I had to go buy another monitor cord, which seems to be working fine, and my router is back up and running again. For now.
Tampa won, and the Yankees are losing, so barring any last second changes, we should end the day 3 back of Tampa and 3 1/2 up on the Yanks.
In other other news, I am ending the first of two straight off days. I am planning to make a trip to Jay and Silent Bob's Secret Stash tomorrow, assuming....well, let's just say assuming I feel like it.
I just finished "The Greatest Story Ever Sold" and "State of Denial", so the news from Ron Susskind that the Bush Administration allegedly engaged in outright forgery in the run up to war hardly surprises me at this point.
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0808/12308.html
Can he prove it? I don't know. Probably not. But based on what I know, to disbelieve him, I have to take the word of people who I know for a fact have lied, versus a Pulitzer Prize winning journalist. Hmmm.
Jane Meyer's "The Dark Side" is next. Should keep me in this cheerful mood I'm in.
I'll just use my father's old Nixon test. He used to tell me that if Richard Nixon told him it was raining, he'd get up and go look out the window to check.
After listening to "No Agenda" and the "Daily Source Code" this weekend, I am far from optimistic...well...about anything, really.
That is all.
In other news, I had to go buy another monitor cord, which seems to be working fine, and my router is back up and running again. For now.
Tampa won, and the Yankees are losing, so barring any last second changes, we should end the day 3 back of Tampa and 3 1/2 up on the Yanks.
In other other news, I am ending the first of two straight off days. I am planning to make a trip to Jay and Silent Bob's Secret Stash tomorrow, assuming....well, let's just say assuming I feel like it.
I just finished "The Greatest Story Ever Sold" and "State of Denial", so the news from Ron Susskind that the Bush Administration allegedly engaged in outright forgery in the run up to war hardly surprises me at this point.
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0808/12308.html
Can he prove it? I don't know. Probably not. But based on what I know, to disbelieve him, I have to take the word of people who I know for a fact have lied, versus a Pulitzer Prize winning journalist. Hmmm.
Jane Meyer's "The Dark Side" is next. Should keep me in this cheerful mood I'm in.
I'll just use my father's old Nixon test. He used to tell me that if Richard Nixon told him it was raining, he'd get up and go look out the window to check.
After listening to "No Agenda" and the "Daily Source Code" this weekend, I am far from optimistic...well...about anything, really.
That is all.
Ted Nugent is Right. (Suicide as a lifestyle)
http://www.spinner.com/2008/08/04/ted-nugents-latest-diatribe-obesity/?icid=200100397x1206938002x1200367845
That's pretty much it. It's not knowing what to eat, it's not even the willpower to make the right choices. It's the desire to care enough to make the right choice. In my head, when I make an unhealthy choice, the thought process is simple: "I shouldn't eat this. Then again, who cares?"
That's pretty much it. It's not knowing what to eat, it's not even the willpower to make the right choices. It's the desire to care enough to make the right choice. In my head, when I make an unhealthy choice, the thought process is simple: "I shouldn't eat this. Then again, who cares?"
Who said this Bay guy was any good anyway?
In Kansas City, Cowboy Clay and the Red Sox lost 4-3 to Gil "Ga" Meche and the Royales with Cheese. New York and Tampa also lost, so the status remains quo.
Jason Bay only got one hit, believe it or not. Manny would have had two.
:-)
Just kidding, big guy.
Seriously, trailing as we are, a status quo day means one fewer day to catch up.
Ah well.
I finally ran my IPod down to nothing, which shows me I have about 2 1/2 hours of battery life on it now. That can't be good. It was right in midpodcast-just nothing. Silence.
It pains me to think of buying another, but I can hardly imagine life without one at this point.
Jason Bay only got one hit, believe it or not. Manny would have had two.
:-)
Just kidding, big guy.
Seriously, trailing as we are, a status quo day means one fewer day to catch up.
Ah well.
I finally ran my IPod down to nothing, which shows me I have about 2 1/2 hours of battery life on it now. That can't be good. It was right in midpodcast-just nothing. Silence.
It pains me to think of buying another, but I can hardly imagine life without one at this point.
Sunday, August 03, 2008
The Best Import Since Rush and Larry Walker (Game 112)
Between segments on Baseball Daily Digest Radio, they played “Hotel California” to introduce a segment on the Ramirez trade. It strikes me that is the perfect song for Ramirez-beautiful,but also bizarre.
Interesting interview on KCRW’s “The Politics of Culture” from the heads of Red and Rhapsody-to compete with peer to peer sharing, they elected to try to provide something BETTER. What a revolutionary concept. Instead of whining to Congress, provide a better PRODUCT. Wow.
On director Kevin Smith’s SModcast, he asks Walt Flanagan, one of his part time co hosts , why he doesn’t go to his high school reunion. Flanagan gives the same answer I do: I didn’t enjoy high school, so I see no reason why I should relive it.
After the day I've had, George Thorogood's "One Bourbon,One Scotch, One Beer" has convinced me I should start drinking. After all, not drinking hasn't gotten me very far.
Now watching "Casino Royale", the new one, again. I don't ever get tired of these movies, ever.
I'm at the point at my job where I'm swearing at people under my breath now. I really have got to get another job.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080804/ts_nm/russia_solzhenitsyn_dc
The great Solhenitsyn has died. I cant say I'm a big fan, but I remember reading "The Short Happy Life of Ivan Denisovich" on my own in middle school, and I remember it still.
In Boston, the Red Sox continued to rip off wins against the Athletics, completing the sweep with a nice 5-2 win today. The best Canadian import since Rush and Larry Walker, Jason Bay chipped in with two hits and two runs, to go along with a baserunner kill, Bill James' term for an outfield assist, while Dice K went 6, striking out 8.
New York and Tampa both won, leaving that 'ol status still quo.
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