OK, if you've read through your blogroll and somehow haven't come across this yet this morning, here it is. I'd classify it as NSFW, but only in the way that your co-workers will wonder why you're laughing harder than you've ever laughed in your entire life. I simply bow my head in awe. I'm not quoting from it, it's too good for that, trust me.
Given that he's the only one not mentioned, I have to believe that this headshot is directed straight at Christopher Buckley, and at that goal it succeeds exquisitely.
31 October, 2008
30 October, 2008
Fumbling Towards Ecstasy
How absolutely frigging great was game 5.5 last night? Bud Selig somehow stumbled into greatness. It was two-and-a-half hours of totally riveting television, exactly what playoff baseball is supposed to be. And people actually got to watch the ninth inning, imagine that. Last night proves once-and-for-all that in order to stay relevant baseball simply must start its playoff games at 7:15 eastern time. 8:30 is too damned late for kids and for people who actually have a life. "But the west-coast!" Will find a way to watch if they want to. They'll take radios to work or they'll watch the game on the internet from their desks. And by the time they get home, they'll be able to watch the seventh inning. Win win.
Pat Gillick is finally getting the praise he so richly deserves this morning. We in Toronto have known about his greatness for years, so hearing talk of him being a no-brainer hall-of-famer from the rest of the world is music to my ears.
Pat Gillick is finally getting the praise he so richly deserves this morning. We in Toronto have known about his greatness for years, so hearing talk of him being a no-brainer hall-of-famer from the rest of the world is music to my ears.
Obamavision
You know, I promised myself that I was done with the Obama posts. But I just have to comment on what I saw when I watched that infomercial last night.
* Most important quote: "I can promise you - I will always tell you what I think and where I stand." Do you know why he felt compelled to say that? Because this will be the only real change we will see from a President Obama. For the last 10 months, this man has *NOT* been honest to the American people about what he thinks, the life he has lead, or where he stands. He has *NOT* been honest about his political philosophy, and especially about his economic philosophy. He has *NOT* been honest about the many radicals whom he sought out and who in turn sought him out as he climbed the political ladder in the city of Chicago. And when he has not been wholly dishonest about his positions, it is only because he has taken so many sides on an issue over time (i.e. meeting with the leader of Iran) that he could claim to hold any position and it would be true in some sense. He says that he will represent a great change to Washington, however he has already served in Washington for years, and what we have seen over this time has been a Senator who has voted straight down his party line like few others. But most of all, he has *NOT* been honest about the distain with which he regards both the United States Constitution as well as the country it has produced.
* On taxes, what the hell is the number already?! For months Senator Obama has claimed that he would not increase income taxes on families earning less than $250,000, even as economists and many others pointed out that his income tax proposals clearly indicated a number closer to $200,000. Last night he said $200,000, in the debates he continuously stated $250,000. The truth is that it really doesn't matter much. Only a fool believes you can increase taxes on one group without producing a change felt by the entire economy.
* Help us! Help us! Sheesh, an alien who was watching this thing and saw all those families would think that life in America today is hell on Earth. Now, it breaks my heart when I see people who are having a tough time. Senator Obama is counting on it breaking yours too. The difference is that I know that a bigger government will not help them. I know that raising taxes on corporations--who will then raise the prices of their products--will not help them. I know that making it harder for companies to drill for oil domestically will not make it easier for these famillies to pay for gas. But Senator Obama wants to do these things and more. His economic policies will not help these families, they will hurt them.
* Senator Obama says he wants to build 'great schools.' Well, here's something in Senator Obama's background that we actually know quite a bit about. He headed a foundation for years which had access to tens of millions of dollars to spend on improving education in the city of Chicago, it was called the Chicago Annenberg Challenge. The results were... unimpressive. Grades and other performance indicators did not change significantly, and certainly not for the better.
* No hope. For someone who's campaign has been all about hope, there was none on display last night. Not once did Senator Obama project the idea that he views America as a place of hope, of opportunity, of spirit, of success, of inspiration, of greatness. For Senator Obama, the only hope to be found in America is himself. History has taught us to be wary of men who think so highly of themselves. I believe that the greatness of America is not to be found in its leaders, though it has been lead by great men. I believe the greatness of America is found in its people, in the opportunity it gives them to achieve so much, in the faith they all share that by doing good for themselves they will raise each other to unimaginable heights.
* Most important quote: "I can promise you - I will always tell you what I think and where I stand." Do you know why he felt compelled to say that? Because this will be the only real change we will see from a President Obama. For the last 10 months, this man has *NOT* been honest to the American people about what he thinks, the life he has lead, or where he stands. He has *NOT* been honest about his political philosophy, and especially about his economic philosophy. He has *NOT* been honest about the many radicals whom he sought out and who in turn sought him out as he climbed the political ladder in the city of Chicago. And when he has not been wholly dishonest about his positions, it is only because he has taken so many sides on an issue over time (i.e. meeting with the leader of Iran) that he could claim to hold any position and it would be true in some sense. He says that he will represent a great change to Washington, however he has already served in Washington for years, and what we have seen over this time has been a Senator who has voted straight down his party line like few others. But most of all, he has *NOT* been honest about the distain with which he regards both the United States Constitution as well as the country it has produced.
* On taxes, what the hell is the number already?! For months Senator Obama has claimed that he would not increase income taxes on families earning less than $250,000, even as economists and many others pointed out that his income tax proposals clearly indicated a number closer to $200,000. Last night he said $200,000, in the debates he continuously stated $250,000. The truth is that it really doesn't matter much. Only a fool believes you can increase taxes on one group without producing a change felt by the entire economy.
* Help us! Help us! Sheesh, an alien who was watching this thing and saw all those families would think that life in America today is hell on Earth. Now, it breaks my heart when I see people who are having a tough time. Senator Obama is counting on it breaking yours too. The difference is that I know that a bigger government will not help them. I know that raising taxes on corporations--who will then raise the prices of their products--will not help them. I know that making it harder for companies to drill for oil domestically will not make it easier for these famillies to pay for gas. But Senator Obama wants to do these things and more. His economic policies will not help these families, they will hurt them.
* Senator Obama says he wants to build 'great schools.' Well, here's something in Senator Obama's background that we actually know quite a bit about. He headed a foundation for years which had access to tens of millions of dollars to spend on improving education in the city of Chicago, it was called the Chicago Annenberg Challenge. The results were... unimpressive. Grades and other performance indicators did not change significantly, and certainly not for the better.
* No hope. For someone who's campaign has been all about hope, there was none on display last night. Not once did Senator Obama project the idea that he views America as a place of hope, of opportunity, of spirit, of success, of inspiration, of greatness. For Senator Obama, the only hope to be found in America is himself. History has taught us to be wary of men who think so highly of themselves. I believe that the greatness of America is not to be found in its leaders, though it has been lead by great men. I believe the greatness of America is found in its people, in the opportunity it gives them to achieve so much, in the faith they all share that by doing good for themselves they will raise each other to unimaginable heights.
29 October, 2008
The last sane man
Well, I did it. After years of bravely standing against the darkness--not so bravely actually, as the bloody thing was completely inaccessible--I just signed up for an iTunes account. Well played Steve, well played.
27 October, 2008
Game 4
When your pitcher homers things are probably going your way. Remember when everyone was saying how clearly superior the Rays rotation was? Cole Hamels tomorrow. Mr. Maddon, people are burying your team again, you know what to do. Or at least you sure seem to know what to do.
26 October, 2008
Game 3
Instant Classic!
I don't know where to start. Jamie Moyer deserved better. He gave up 2 runs (Crawford was clearly out) over 7+ innings while striking out 5 and only walking 1. It was an amazing performance. His catcher and his short stop let him down in the eighth. That he didn't get the win is a shame.
The unofficially official baseball term for what Jayson Werth did in the eighth is 'baserunning blunder.' I'd like to call it a baserunning brain melt. There's absolutely no excuse for that kind of screw-up in a spring training game, let alone in the middle of the World Series.
It looks like Ryan Howard has solved his playoff power problems.
Never walk (or hit) the lead-off hitter.
4 players have stolen 3 bases during a World Series game: Honus Wagner, Willie Mays, Lou Brock, and B.J. Upton. Thanks to Dave O'Brien and Rick Sutcliff on MLB International via Sportsnet for that one.
It's too bad, Jamie Moyer was part of what should have been an all-time World Series highlight. Instead, the umpire blew the call and no one will remember it. Yes, I'm still bitter bitter bitter bitter about our triple-play.
I guess I'll have to be a bit of a jerk about the last play. The Phillies should still be 1-32 with runners in scoring position. That wasn't a hit. Longoria had no play. As Joe Morgan pointed out, the only play longoria had with a ball hit like that one was to hope it went foul. He didn't, and it should've been an error.
Matt Stairs was on deck when it ended. Oh well, you can't have everything
And to think, if not for the rain delay I would've missed most of that. This was one fantastic night.
I don't know where to start. Jamie Moyer deserved better. He gave up 2 runs (Crawford was clearly out) over 7+ innings while striking out 5 and only walking 1. It was an amazing performance. His catcher and his short stop let him down in the eighth. That he didn't get the win is a shame.
The unofficially official baseball term for what Jayson Werth did in the eighth is 'baserunning blunder.' I'd like to call it a baserunning brain melt. There's absolutely no excuse for that kind of screw-up in a spring training game, let alone in the middle of the World Series.
It looks like Ryan Howard has solved his playoff power problems.
Never walk (or hit) the lead-off hitter.
4 players have stolen 3 bases during a World Series game: Honus Wagner, Willie Mays, Lou Brock, and B.J. Upton. Thanks to Dave O'Brien and Rick Sutcliff on MLB International via Sportsnet for that one.
It's too bad, Jamie Moyer was part of what should have been an all-time World Series highlight. Instead, the umpire blew the call and no one will remember it. Yes, I'm still bitter bitter bitter bitter about our triple-play.
I guess I'll have to be a bit of a jerk about the last play. The Phillies should still be 1-32 with runners in scoring position. That wasn't a hit. Longoria had no play. As Joe Morgan pointed out, the only play longoria had with a ball hit like that one was to hope it went foul. He didn't, and it should've been an error.
Matt Stairs was on deck when it ended. Oh well, you can't have everything
And to think, if not for the rain delay I would've missed most of that. This was one fantastic night.
25 October, 2008
Three yards in a cloud of hope
Update: Idiots. Not what I meant by celebrations.
WE ARE!! 9-0
Celebrations are already well under way.
No complaints on account of the defense, when you hold OSU to 6 in Columbus it's been a pretty great day. I would've liked to see them put pryor on the ground, but I'll address that in a minute. The offense was pretty terrible. No vertical passing, bad protection, bad blocking which lead to Evan Royster being basically ineffective, you name it. The play-action passes on first down were a good idea, I would've liked to see the coaches stick with them a little longer than they did. Clark missed a few opportunities to pick up some good runs, but I don't think he played that poorly overall. Bitching over. For the first time in 30 years we survived Columbus. Good enough.
Now then. Iowa...Indiana...Michigan State
Though some games are easier than others, there are no easy games.
Um, is holding still a penalty? After watching that game this is not a rhetorical question! I'm pretty sure that in football there's a rule against tackling defensive linemen. What the hell game was Kirk Herbstreit watching? Inquiring minds. Good for Chris Fowler, who actually had the nerve to point it out during halftime. At least I get to say that without it being sour grapes.
Too bad for Oklahoma State, they had their chances. Everything else today pretty much went according to plan except for Michigan State beating Michigan in Ann Arbor. Regretably I'll have to root against the Wildcats for a few hours, USC looking good for the rest of the season will really help the Nittany Lions.
WE ARE!! 9-0
Celebrations are already well under way.
No complaints on account of the defense, when you hold OSU to 6 in Columbus it's been a pretty great day. I would've liked to see them put pryor on the ground, but I'll address that in a minute. The offense was pretty terrible. No vertical passing, bad protection, bad blocking which lead to Evan Royster being basically ineffective, you name it. The play-action passes on first down were a good idea, I would've liked to see the coaches stick with them a little longer than they did. Clark missed a few opportunities to pick up some good runs, but I don't think he played that poorly overall. Bitching over. For the first time in 30 years we survived Columbus. Good enough.
Now then. Iowa...Indiana...Michigan State
Though some games are easier than others, there are no easy games.
Um, is holding still a penalty? After watching that game this is not a rhetorical question! I'm pretty sure that in football there's a rule against tackling defensive linemen. What the hell game was Kirk Herbstreit watching? Inquiring minds. Good for Chris Fowler, who actually had the nerve to point it out during halftime. At least I get to say that without it being sour grapes.
Too bad for Oklahoma State, they had their chances. Everything else today pretty much went according to plan except for Michigan State beating Michigan in Ann Arbor. Regretably I'll have to root against the Wildcats for a few hours, USC looking good for the rest of the season will really help the Nittany Lions.
24 October, 2008
Game 2
I'm sorry, it has to be said; John Miller totally called/caused that home run in the eighth. If you were listening to the ESPN Radio broadcast then you know what I'm talking about.
Philly fans now know the pain felt by Blue Jays fans for about two months this season. Forget walking batters to set up a double play, I began expecting opposing pitchers to start walking Jays hitters in order to put runners on second, our RISP numbers were honestly that bad at times. Anyway, that game was absolutely bizarre. Brett Myers gave up 7 singles that somehow turned into 4 runs. And the Phillies were 1-15 (2-15 if the Longoria play isn't called an error) with runners on bases other than first, again. I am officially invoking the one week off hangover. Everyone in the media would be too except for the Utley homer.
Philly fans now know the pain felt by Blue Jays fans for about two months this season. Forget walking batters to set up a double play, I began expecting opposing pitchers to start walking Jays hitters in order to put runners on second, our RISP numbers were honestly that bad at times. Anyway, that game was absolutely bizarre. Brett Myers gave up 7 singles that somehow turned into 4 runs. And the Phillies were 1-15 (2-15 if the Longoria play isn't called an error) with runners on bases other than first, again. I am officially invoking the one week off hangover. Everyone in the media would be too except for the Utley homer.
23 October, 2008
15 years ago today
I was there. Touch 'em all Joe. Touch 'em all Tom. You both gave a nine year old the greatest day of his life.
Game 1
B.J. Upton 0-4
Carlos Pena 0-4
Evan Longoria 0-4
it was a balk
The above was pretty much Tampa Bay's recipe for losing game 1 last night. It's a proven fact that great pitching can marginalize great hitting, but I'm not convinced that's what happened. Someone on the ESPN Radio broadcast dropped a stat after the game that the above 3 hitters are 2 for their last 43. I think that's a little closer to the real problem. If the entire core of your line-up is slumping you're pretty much screwed. This makes surviving the Red Sox on Sunday even more impressive. I didn't see anything last night (0-13 risp) to showed me the Phillies are a clearly superior team. Losing game 1 hurts--the five last World Series winners won game 1--but it's not fatal. Just remember who won game 1 of the ALCS and what they're doing this week.
Carlos Pena 0-4
Evan Longoria 0-4
it was a balk
The above was pretty much Tampa Bay's recipe for losing game 1 last night. It's a proven fact that great pitching can marginalize great hitting, but I'm not convinced that's what happened. Someone on the ESPN Radio broadcast dropped a stat after the game that the above 3 hitters are 2 for their last 43. I think that's a little closer to the real problem. If the entire core of your line-up is slumping you're pretty much screwed. This makes surviving the Red Sox on Sunday even more impressive. I didn't see anything last night (0-13 risp) to showed me the Phillies are a clearly superior team. Losing game 1 hurts--the five last World Series winners won game 1--but it's not fatal. Just remember who won game 1 of the ALCS and what they're doing this week.
"The better way"
There's no city council on the planet that likes to throw seemingly endless amounts of taxpayer money into environmental pet projects more than the Toronto city council. Take today's example of hybrid buses. There will be nearly 600 of them in service by the end of the year, and surprise surprise, the Toronto Star reports that my fellow citizens and I were sold a bill of goods. Instead of lasting five years, the batteries last 18 months, which means they need to be repaired more often. Instead of saving nearly 30% on fuel, the hybrids can barely manage to save 10%. Now let's play with another number, $700 thousand instead of $500 thousand. Guess what those numbers mean? exactly. That's how much the hybrids cost compared to diesel buses. This turns out to be pretty easy, the TTC is going ahead with next year's order for 130 hybrids, so about 700 times $200 thousand is...$140,000,000 Toronto and Canadian taxpayer dollars more or less down the drain. Yay. And of course not one member of the transit committee will be forced to resign after this revelation. That would imply that some sort of concept of accountability is at work here, we know that's not true.
20 October, 2008
Notes from week 7
Monday night: Well OK, that answers that question. Bill Belichick's immortal coaching philosophy of "DO YOUR JOB!" surely includes simple things, such as not turning the ball over five times when you're on the road! Denver has now lost road games to the Chiefs and the Bradyless Patriots. Those same Patriots were of course last seen being snowed under, ironically, in San Diego. Matt Cassel would also like to take this opportunity to thank the Broncos for providing him the highlight game film of his life.
Mike in/Mike out: I'm of mixed emotions here. Mike Nolan's a good guy, and the fact that he's been in charge of a lousy team isn't really his fault. The 49ers pretty much destroyed their future by manipulating the salary cap during the late 90s in order to pay for a present they couldn't really afford, and they've never been able to recovere from those bad contracts. At the same time, Mike Singletary is finally getting his shot, an event which has been far too long in coming. Good luck to both of them.
Hey Jerry, you know that big red button in your office? time to push the big red button. Fire Wade Phillips, today. Everyone knows he won't be the head coach of this team in a few years, make it official. This team is soft, it is top-heavy, and it is directionless. Promote Jason Garrett today and start stabilizing this mess. The Cowboys defenseive line was pushed around yesterday by the St. Louis Rams in a game which this team appeared to take about as seriously as a bye week. That is a coaching problem. Which of course brings me to...
The San Diego Chargers. Where is the pass rush for this team? Trent Edwards was 25-30 yesterday, that was how laid back the Chargers were on defense. I know, I know, west-coast teams going east. Doesn't matter, every expert I heard yesterday picked the Chargers to win. This team is much too talented to be this inconsistent. That is a coaching problem. Call them the Cowboys of the west. Not to take anything away from the Bils, who played a great game. Even if the other team isn't executing you've still got to make your plays.
Fun facts: The last time the Bears scored 48 in a game was December 7 1986. They have never won a game in which they allowed 41 points. 89 points is the highest ever total for a Bears/Vikings game. Minnesota had a chance to take a critical road game inside the division yesterday, but they were done in by giving away 14 points on two bizarre special teams plays. That's how tough it is to win in the NFL.
Some how, some way, the Steelers are 5-1. Some teams find ways to lose when they shouldn't, while some teams find ways to achieve so much more than they should. Just amazing.
There are no excuses for what happened in Oakland. The Jets might be the second best team in the AFC East, but they're still not one of the serious contenders in the AFC. Serious teams don't lose that game.
The Colts looked very ordinary yesterday, especially given the current injuries to the Green Bay secondary.
Tonight: Denver@New England, one of those Broncos road games I was talking about a few weeks ago.
Mike in/Mike out: I'm of mixed emotions here. Mike Nolan's a good guy, and the fact that he's been in charge of a lousy team isn't really his fault. The 49ers pretty much destroyed their future by manipulating the salary cap during the late 90s in order to pay for a present they couldn't really afford, and they've never been able to recovere from those bad contracts. At the same time, Mike Singletary is finally getting his shot, an event which has been far too long in coming. Good luck to both of them.
Hey Jerry, you know that big red button in your office? time to push the big red button. Fire Wade Phillips, today. Everyone knows he won't be the head coach of this team in a few years, make it official. This team is soft, it is top-heavy, and it is directionless. Promote Jason Garrett today and start stabilizing this mess. The Cowboys defenseive line was pushed around yesterday by the St. Louis Rams in a game which this team appeared to take about as seriously as a bye week. That is a coaching problem. Which of course brings me to...
The San Diego Chargers. Where is the pass rush for this team? Trent Edwards was 25-30 yesterday, that was how laid back the Chargers were on defense. I know, I know, west-coast teams going east. Doesn't matter, every expert I heard yesterday picked the Chargers to win. This team is much too talented to be this inconsistent. That is a coaching problem. Call them the Cowboys of the west. Not to take anything away from the Bils, who played a great game. Even if the other team isn't executing you've still got to make your plays.
Fun facts: The last time the Bears scored 48 in a game was December 7 1986. They have never won a game in which they allowed 41 points. 89 points is the highest ever total for a Bears/Vikings game. Minnesota had a chance to take a critical road game inside the division yesterday, but they were done in by giving away 14 points on two bizarre special teams plays. That's how tough it is to win in the NFL.
Some how, some way, the Steelers are 5-1. Some teams find ways to lose when they shouldn't, while some teams find ways to achieve so much more than they should. Just amazing.
There are no excuses for what happened in Oakland. The Jets might be the second best team in the AFC East, but they're still not one of the serious contenders in the AFC. Serious teams don't lose that game.
The Colts looked very ordinary yesterday, especially given the current injuries to the Green Bay secondary.
Tonight: Denver@New England, one of those Broncos road games I was talking about a few weeks ago.
Fall classic
For the first 10 seasons of their existence, the Tampa Bay (don't say Devil) Rays had never won more than 72 games in a season. Tonight, after Thursday night, after everyone in the North-American sports media called another Red Sox comeback a foregone conclusion, they go to the World Series.
Somebody better break out the trumpets for Joe Maddon later this morning. For the biggest at bat in the history of the franchise, he brought in a 23 year old rookie, the number one pick for the Rays in the 2007 draft, a September call-up. And after he struck out J.D. Drew, he sent David Price out again for the ninth. Joe Torre never, never, never makes that move.
This won't be another L.A. vs. Boston final. We won't see Joe Torre and Manny going back to Fenway. What we will see is great baseball. Both of these teams have excellent pitching, and both of these teams can hit for power as well as manufacture runs when they need to. Great baseball used to be enough for people to want to watch the World Series, I guess things are different these days. Too bad for them.
Right, that other team. Forgot about them didn't you? That the second team Pat Gillick takes to the World Series is the Philadelphia Phillies is some kind of irony. In any other year, the Phillies would be a great story too. For the second season in a row, the Phillies sailed by the imploding and heavily favoured Mets to take the NL East. They're a team filled with young hard-working players who don't seek the spotlight. And there's the ageless wonder left-hander, the 45 year old who somehow still finds ways to win and who says he might pitch until he's 50.
Rays...Phillies...Wednesday. Bring it on!
Somebody better break out the trumpets for Joe Maddon later this morning. For the biggest at bat in the history of the franchise, he brought in a 23 year old rookie, the number one pick for the Rays in the 2007 draft, a September call-up. And after he struck out J.D. Drew, he sent David Price out again for the ninth. Joe Torre never, never, never makes that move.
This won't be another L.A. vs. Boston final. We won't see Joe Torre and Manny going back to Fenway. What we will see is great baseball. Both of these teams have excellent pitching, and both of these teams can hit for power as well as manufacture runs when they need to. Great baseball used to be enough for people to want to watch the World Series, I guess things are different these days. Too bad for them.
Right, that other team. Forgot about them didn't you? That the second team Pat Gillick takes to the World Series is the Philadelphia Phillies is some kind of irony. In any other year, the Phillies would be a great story too. For the second season in a row, the Phillies sailed by the imploding and heavily favoured Mets to take the NL East. They're a team filled with young hard-working players who don't seek the spotlight. And there's the ageless wonder left-hander, the 45 year old who somehow still finds ways to win and who says he might pitch until he's 50.
Rays...Phillies...Wednesday. Bring it on!
17 October, 2008
I don't believe what I just saw! I don't believe what I just saw. Is this really happening Bill?
What can you possibly say after witnessing the greatest comeback in the history of baseball? Oh fooey to 1929, send me the tape and we'll compare notes. It was as if at 10:55PM Fenway Park time, God simply flipped a switch in the Heavens which set the Earth rotating clockwise about the Sun. And there's that whole 12:16AM October 17 2003/2008 Aaron Boone/J.D. Drew thing. And of course hearing that game through the greatest play-by-play voice of my generation made it all the more incredible. I'm still stunned, drained, floored, worn-out, you name it.
16 October, 2008
Watch out
Well Joe the Plumber, you're in it now. It's not your fault really. You're just a self-made guy who's done pretty well for himself, wants to buy a business and make a little money, maybe even do well enough to earn $250,000 a year someday. American dream, right? And all you want is to keep as much of the money that you earn as you can, instead of sending it to that black hole in Washington. You want to spend it on things you think are important, things that'll help you live the good life. But there's a problem. You made the anointed one look bad. See? he doesn't think it's right for you to want to keep all that money, and his supporters sure don't either. They want to take a whole bunch of it, and it's never enough, because they know what they want to do with it and they know better than you. You know what they're gonna call you? fat cat... greedy... selfish. Right now they're figuring out exactly who you are, how many cheques you've bounced, digging up every charge you've ever made, talking to every girlfriend you've ever had. Because for these peopple, an honest businessman just can't exist. Every one of them has only gotten where they are because they cheated someone or ripped off their customers. So watch out Joe, middle-class guy, bills to pay, family to feed, they're comin' for ya! They're coming in their news vans and they're making their phone calls. Because the only way they can feel better about themselves is by making the guy who made Saint Obama look mean and uncaring look even worse.
I think I just threw-up a little inside.
I think I just threw-up a little inside.
15 October, 2008
The impossible has happened!
20 years ago today...
And here's an MP3 of Jack Buck's finest moment.
I have to say, That call along with "Touch 'em all Joe" and Marv Albert's "Something that most people did not think they would hear in their lifetime" are my all-time favourite radio calls.
Most amusing of all, that part of the video where you can see all the brakelights in the Dodger Stadium parking lot is the moment that forever defined Los Angeles as a crap sports town for the rest of America. All you people left game 1 of the World Series with your team down a run in the ninth inning? Shame on you all!
And here's an MP3 of Jack Buck's finest moment.
I have to say, That call along with "Touch 'em all Joe" and Marv Albert's "Something that most people did not think they would hear in their lifetime" are my all-time favourite radio calls.
Most amusing of all, that part of the video where you can see all the brakelights in the Dodger Stadium parking lot is the moment that forever defined Los Angeles as a crap sports town for the rest of America. All you people left game 1 of the World Series with your team down a run in the ninth inning? Shame on you all!
Dealbreaker
It takes a lot for me to honestly consider someone to be a poor human being. Simple disagreement doesn't come close to doing it. I've spent a lot of time on this blog arguing against the positions and statements of Senator Obama because I, unlike most of my fellow Canadians, can admit that who occupies the White House has a far greater chance of effecting my life than most of the goings on in Ottawa. I've always tried to do so coherently, logically, and respectfully. But I have my limits, I'm sure we all do. And I found mine when I read something in August that simply brought me up short. I made passing mention of it at the time, and I've really tried to avoid it since then. That's because I genuinely don't know what to say about it, don't know how to articulate exactly why it is that I feel the way I do about it. And I guess I still don't. None of us ever completely agree with the candidates we vote for on every issue. We do the best we can, it's just a fact of political life. Now that I've said all that, I'll finally get to the point; I simply can not for the life of me understand how anyone could vote for a person who could do this:
The above is from this essay by Professor Robert P. George discussing Senator Obama's various positions regarding abortion. Now, I've said before that abortion is far down my list of important issues. But I know that I could *never* vote for someone who decided to dedicate his time the way Senator Obama did when he decided to fight that born-alive bill. For me, the idea of allowing doctors to abandon a live newborn in the middle of a hospital goes against absolutely everything I believe in as a human being. We all have our limits.
As an Illinois state senator Obama opposed legislation to protect children who are born alive, either as a result of an abortionist's unsuccessful effort to kill them in the womb, or by the deliberate delivery of the baby prior to viability. This legislation would not have banned any abortions. Indeed, it included a specific provision ensuring that it did not affect abortion laws. (This is one of the points Obama and his campaign lied about until they were caught.) The federal version of the bill passed unanimously in the United States Senate, winning the support of such ardent advocates of legal abortion as John Kerry and Barbara Boxer. But Barack Obama opposed it and worked to defeat it. For him, a child marked for abortion gets no protection-even ordinary medical or comfort care-even if she is born alive and entirely separated from her mother.
The above is from this essay by Professor Robert P. George discussing Senator Obama's various positions regarding abortion. Now, I've said before that abortion is far down my list of important issues. But I know that I could *never* vote for someone who decided to dedicate his time the way Senator Obama did when he decided to fight that born-alive bill. For me, the idea of allowing doctors to abandon a live newborn in the middle of a hospital goes against absolutely everything I believe in as a human being. We all have our limits.
Brave old world
Here are the very nearly official totals after last night, shamelessly borrowing Andrew Coyne's fantastic alternate naming scheme for the federal parties.
Fascists 143
Crooks/Notaleaders 76
Traitors 50
Commies 37
Loners 2
Tree-huggers 0
So the 40th parliament will be comprised of a near-majority of Conservatives, with no two parties able to form a coalition. We're pretty much back where we started this enterprise a month and a half ago. Harper can govern as if he has a majority in all ways except on paper, as he has done for the last two years. He can do this because he knows that the opposition in the form of the Liberals will be in termoil for at least the next year. All things considered it was a good day for the Conservatives save for the breakdown in Quebec. Predictions after the shelling of the Canadian markets last week ranged from Harper losing ground in the House to Dion actually having an outside shot of leading a minority Liberal government. Neither came close to happening.
Finally, having lost 20% of the 95 seats he entered the campaign with, I think it's safe to say that the Dion era is not long for this world. If he presses on, expect the Spring convention to get very ugly.
Fascists 143
Crooks/Notaleaders 76
Traitors 50
Commies 37
Loners 2
Tree-huggers 0
So the 40th parliament will be comprised of a near-majority of Conservatives, with no two parties able to form a coalition. We're pretty much back where we started this enterprise a month and a half ago. Harper can govern as if he has a majority in all ways except on paper, as he has done for the last two years. He can do this because he knows that the opposition in the form of the Liberals will be in termoil for at least the next year. All things considered it was a good day for the Conservatives save for the breakdown in Quebec. Predictions after the shelling of the Canadian markets last week ranged from Harper losing ground in the House to Dion actually having an outside shot of leading a minority Liberal government. Neither came close to happening.
Finally, having lost 20% of the 95 seats he entered the campaign with, I think it's safe to say that the Dion era is not long for this world. If he presses on, expect the Spring convention to get very ugly.
...And nothing but the truth
I simply don't have anything to add to this. From Melanie Phillips at the Spectator:
Tell me that any part of that description, that one single word of that is not true.
You have to pinch yourself – a Marxisant radical who all his life has been mentored by, sat at the feet of, worshipped with, befriended, endorsed the philosophy of, funded and been in turn funded, politically promoted and supported by a nexus comprising black power anti-white racists, Jew-haters, revolutionary Marxists, unrepentant former terrorists and Chicago mobsters, is on the verge of becoming President of the United States. And apparently it’s considered impolite to say so.
Tell me that any part of that description, that one single word of that is not true.
14 October, 2008
Notes from week 6
Monday night: It's a good thing I had the option of watching game 4 of the NLCS, because I don't know what that was last night. The Browns offense hadn't looked nearly that good before last night, and I really don't expect Eli to throw 3 picks again this season. This game looks like an outlier, but we might not think of it the same way after the next month.
Pandemonium rained Sunday afternoon as 4 games were decided by plays in the last ten seconds between 4:01 and 4:08. It was the ultimate red zone channel moment. By far the most crushing loss belonged to the Bears, who's touchdown with 11 seconds left on the clock eventually helped them become only the third team in the modern NFL era to lose a game after taking the lead with less than 15 seconds remaining. How Michael Jenkins was left uncovered on the sideline like that is one of the great mysteries of the modern world. It's nice to see the experts proven right for a change; Matt Ryan is that good.
All I can say is that after last week the Texans deserved that one.
Nothing cures the ills of a team trying to find itself like a chance to play the Raiders.
It is no coincidence that the last teams to win their first games this season will be the Lions and the Bengals. Organizational failure on this kind of scale in the NFL is rarely an accident.
Something is very, very wrong in Dallas. Anyone can look like a good coach when everything is working. Wade Phillips doesn't have the coaching personality necessary for handling a team overloaded with major personalities like this one when things aren't working. And of course Sunday was the first time that an overtime game ended on a blocked punt. It was that kind of day.
There go the Jaguars, walking into Denver and winning. See what I mean? no idea what to make of them.
I'm sure the Chargers would've been up for New England anyway, the Patriots were the team that bounced them from the playoffs twice in the last two seasons. The loss Last week to the Dolphins was clearly extra motivation though, and this one was over early.
Pandemonium rained Sunday afternoon as 4 games were decided by plays in the last ten seconds between 4:01 and 4:08. It was the ultimate red zone channel moment. By far the most crushing loss belonged to the Bears, who's touchdown with 11 seconds left on the clock eventually helped them become only the third team in the modern NFL era to lose a game after taking the lead with less than 15 seconds remaining. How Michael Jenkins was left uncovered on the sideline like that is one of the great mysteries of the modern world. It's nice to see the experts proven right for a change; Matt Ryan is that good.
All I can say is that after last week the Texans deserved that one.
Nothing cures the ills of a team trying to find itself like a chance to play the Raiders.
It is no coincidence that the last teams to win their first games this season will be the Lions and the Bengals. Organizational failure on this kind of scale in the NFL is rarely an accident.
Something is very, very wrong in Dallas. Anyone can look like a good coach when everything is working. Wade Phillips doesn't have the coaching personality necessary for handling a team overloaded with major personalities like this one when things aren't working. And of course Sunday was the first time that an overtime game ended on a blocked punt. It was that kind of day.
There go the Jaguars, walking into Denver and winning. See what I mean? no idea what to make of them.
I'm sure the Chargers would've been up for New England anyway, the Patriots were the team that bounced them from the playoffs twice in the last two seasons. The loss Last week to the Dolphins was clearly extra motivation though, and this one was over early.
Paul's Prize
Paul Krugman won the Nobel Prize for Economics a few days ago. Good for him. Do I think he won it for political reasons? certainly. Doesn't mean he doesn't deserve it. He's a brilliant economist, and before he decided to become a fairly hackish political writer he wrote better and more clearly about economics than anyone. He's got the gift of being able to make complicated economic concepts--especially trade--seem entirely logical for people who don't have the background. If you want an example, read this absolute classic from 1998 in which he explains how liquidity traps happen and how to fix them. His 90s trilogy of Peddling Prosperity, Pop Internationalism, and the Accidental Theorist are all super highly recommended reading.
Fact check: Obama on small businesses
Senator Obama, during the debate on October 7:
I apologize, I completely missed this when it happened. I guess I thought that Obama's above statement was so completely absurd that the McCain campaign could easily pounce on it. Well they've had a week and so far nothing. this is a really good summary of how the American Small Business Administration defines the different types of small businesses. Basically, any business earning less than the indicated amounts for its industry is a small business. Alternatively, any businesses which employ less than the indicated number are small businesses.
Why does this matter? 70% of the American workforce is employed by small businesses. The owners of these businesses often declare the income for the business as part of their personal income, this is called filing as a 'sub chapter S.' This means that the income from the business is taxed at a higher rate when personal income taxes are raised. The reality is that Senator Obama's statement that only a few businesses would be effected by increasing income taxes over $250.000 couldn't be further from the truth. Imagine that you work in an auto shop. You work with six other people, and together you average an income of $35,000 for the year. Well add that up. Seven employees, each making $35,000 a year equals $245,000. Now, according to Senator Obama, only a few percent of small businesses make more than $250,000 per year. So where's the money supposed to come from to pay for new tools? to maintain the heavy machinery? to order custom parts? to pay rent for the building? and so on? Not all of those items are deductable under the current tax laws. Someone really needs to ask him to clarify a lot of that statement and his attitude towards small business in America. But so far nobody has.
Only a few percent of small businesses make more than $250,000 a year. So the vast majority of small businesses would get a tax cut under my plan.
I apologize, I completely missed this when it happened. I guess I thought that Obama's above statement was so completely absurd that the McCain campaign could easily pounce on it. Well they've had a week and so far nothing. this is a really good summary of how the American Small Business Administration defines the different types of small businesses. Basically, any business earning less than the indicated amounts for its industry is a small business. Alternatively, any businesses which employ less than the indicated number are small businesses.
Why does this matter? 70% of the American workforce is employed by small businesses. The owners of these businesses often declare the income for the business as part of their personal income, this is called filing as a 'sub chapter S.' This means that the income from the business is taxed at a higher rate when personal income taxes are raised. The reality is that Senator Obama's statement that only a few businesses would be effected by increasing income taxes over $250.000 couldn't be further from the truth. Imagine that you work in an auto shop. You work with six other people, and together you average an income of $35,000 for the year. Well add that up. Seven employees, each making $35,000 a year equals $245,000. Now, according to Senator Obama, only a few percent of small businesses make more than $250,000 per year. So where's the money supposed to come from to pay for new tools? to maintain the heavy machinery? to order custom parts? to pay rent for the building? and so on? Not all of those items are deductable under the current tax laws. Someone really needs to ask him to clarify a lot of that statement and his attitude towards small business in America. But so far nobody has.
Redefining 'tax cut'
Here's an editorial from the WSJ explaining Senator Obama's claim that his tax plan will result in 'tax cuts' for 95% of 'working families.
I'll get to the new tax credits in a second, but I think this points out the most important implication of Obama's proposed tax changes.
Now, about Obama's new tax credits. In order to explain these, we'll have to decode some Washingtonspeak. You might think that the phrase "refundable tax credit" would mean a refund from the IRS of a portion of your income tax bill. That's not quite what it means. If you're familiar with the Earned Income Tax Credit, that's a good example. With a refundable tax credit, you get a cheque for the value of the credit even if your income tax bill is $0. So, if you're not getting money back, where's the money for your credits coming from? Easy. It comes from that other 5% of tax payers Obama doesn't want to talk about. As referenced in the article, the Tax Foundation predicts that the value of refundable tax credits paid out by the federal government would jump from about $620 billion now to more than $1 trillion under Obama's tax plan. It will be one of the largest direct wealth transfers in American history.
I'll get to the new tax credits in a second, but I think this points out the most important implication of Obama's proposed tax changes.
Because Mr. Obama's tax credits are phased out as incomes rise, they impose a huge "marginal" tax rate increase on low-income workers. The marginal tax rate refers to the rate on the next dollar of income earned. As the nearby chart illustrates, the marginal rate for millions of low- and middle-income workers would spike as they earn more income. Some families with an income of $40,000 could lose up to 40 cents in vanishing credits for every additional dollar earned from working overtime or taking a new job. As public policy, this is contradictory. The tax credits are sold in the name of "making work pay," but in practice they can be a disincentive to working harder, especially if you're a lower-income couple getting raises of $1,000 or $2,000 a year.
Now, about Obama's new tax credits. In order to explain these, we'll have to decode some Washingtonspeak. You might think that the phrase "refundable tax credit" would mean a refund from the IRS of a portion of your income tax bill. That's not quite what it means. If you're familiar with the Earned Income Tax Credit, that's a good example. With a refundable tax credit, you get a cheque for the value of the credit even if your income tax bill is $0. So, if you're not getting money back, where's the money for your credits coming from? Easy. It comes from that other 5% of tax payers Obama doesn't want to talk about. As referenced in the article, the Tax Foundation predicts that the value of refundable tax credits paid out by the federal government would jump from about $620 billion now to more than $1 trillion under Obama's tax plan. It will be one of the largest direct wealth transfers in American history.
13 October, 2008
Friends and neighbours
Character matters. What you believe matters. Who your friends are matters. These things matter a lot more than the fact that you were the editor of the Harvord Law Review or the fact that you can give a great speach. From the Australian.
On Barack Obama's view of the world during his college years:
...
On Obama's connections to William Ayers and Bernadine Dohrn, what they did, and what they still believe about America.
...
...
...
On Barack Obama's view of the world during his college years:
in his second book, The Audacity of Hope (2006), he declares himself to be a pure product of the '60s and specifically distinguishes the "pre-1967 liberalism" of his mother with "its sweet-natured romanticism", from his own radical political outlook based in the hard-core revolutionary currents of 1968 and the other violent years that followed.
...
Starting college in 1979, Obama describes how he chose his friends carefully: "The more politically active black students. The Chicanos. The Marxist professors and the structural feminists and punk-rock performers." He describes how they discussed "neo-colonialism, Frantz Fanon (the Black Power hero and apostle of cleansing violence), Eurocentrism, and patriarchy"; and how he read Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness "to help me understand just what it is that makes white people so afraid ... Their demons."
On Obama's connections to William Ayers and Bernadine Dohrn, what they did, and what they still believe about America.
Michelle Obama and possibly also Barack Obama worked at the same law firm at the same time as Dohrn in 1984-88, while in 1995 Ayers co-founded the Chicago Annenberg Challenge using a $US50 million grant and selected Barack Obama to be the first chairman of the board of the project, a position that Obama held for eight years. Obama and Ayers also served together on the board of the philanthropic Woods Fund for three years after Obama joined the board in 1999. Obama also served on the Leadership Council of the Chicago Public Education Fund with Ayers's father and brother.
...
Ayers and Dohrn were leaders of the Weathermen and signatories of the ultra-radical manifesto You Don't Need a Weatherman to Know Which Way the Wind Blows, released at the national convention of the revolutionary Students for a Democratic Society in June 1969. This 20,000-word manifesto called for a communist revolution in the US; the victory of communist North Vietnam in the Vietnam War; and the creation of "two, three, many Vietnams" designed to consume all of America's military resources. It denounced all police as "pigs" and detailed strategies to defeat them; and advocated a vanguard role for black people, supported by university students and young people, in the revolutionary overthrow of American society.
...
The Weathermen advocated urban guerilla warfare and terrorism and undertook an intense campaign of bombings, violent demonstrations, riots and jail breaks from 1969 into the early '70s, beginning with the Days of Rage, held in October 1969, to correspond to the trial of the Chicago Eight. In 1970, the group issued their Declaration of a State of War against the government of what they dismissed as AmeriKKKa. Ayers participated in 30 bombings in this period, including attacks on the New York Police Department headquarters in 1970, the US Capitol in 1971, and the Pentagon in 1972.
...
Ayers published his autobiography Fugitive Days: A Memoir on September 10, 2001, and was quoted in The New York Times on 9/11 as saying: "I don't regret setting bombs" and "I feel we didn't do enough". When asked if he would "do it all again", he responded: "I don't want to discount the possibility." A month earlier he was photographed for a magazine interview standing on the American flag. In November 2007, during a speech given by Ayers at a reunion of SDS members, Ayers was recorded as praising the group's spirit of rebellion and quoted communist revolutionary heroes in support of his views, while Dohrn referred to the US government as the "greatest purveyor of violence in the world" and
complained that life in America involves living in "the belly of the beast" and at "the heart of the monster".
12 October, 2008
Troopergate report: What it really says
Headline: Headline Writers Dishonest, Biased
The headlines say abuse of power, but that's not what the final report says.
More here if you care, which no one should anymore. Can we go home now?
The headlines say abuse of power, but that's not what the final report says.
Although Walt Monegan’s refusal to fire Trooper Michael Wooten was not the sole reason he was fired by Gov. Sarah Palin, it was likely a contributing factor to his termination as a commissioner of public safety. In spite of that, Governor Palin’s firing of Commissioner Monegan was a proper and lawful exercise of her constitutional and statutory authority to hire and fire executive branch department heads.
More here if you care, which no one should anymore. Can we go home now?
Holy Toledo!
Who? From what conference? Won where?
"Watch out. The Nittany Lions are back, and they are really, really good this year." -Mike Patrick, signing off from Wisconsin before handing off to SportsCenter
How else do you summarize a 48-7 pounding like the one Penn State just laid on Wisconsin at Camp Randall? This wasn't Temple or Syracuse, two weeks ago that Wisconsin team was ranked #9 in the country. To be sure they lost two weeks in a row about as bad as you can lose, but that still doesn't explain 48-7. Next week: Michigan. Mmmm, Wolvarine...
Who's the man now?
Mike Gundy, that's who. He gave us all a lot of fun with that press-conference rant last year, turns out the jokes on us. The man can coach. Just ask Missouri.
Can there be anything more perfect than waking up on a Saturday morning in October to watch that Oklahoma/Texas game and then walking outside to find 20 degrees and sunshine? I think not.
My new top 5; Alabama, Texas, Penn State, Texas Tech, Georgia
"Watch out. The Nittany Lions are back, and they are really, really good this year." -Mike Patrick, signing off from Wisconsin before handing off to SportsCenter
How else do you summarize a 48-7 pounding like the one Penn State just laid on Wisconsin at Camp Randall? This wasn't Temple or Syracuse, two weeks ago that Wisconsin team was ranked #9 in the country. To be sure they lost two weeks in a row about as bad as you can lose, but that still doesn't explain 48-7. Next week: Michigan. Mmmm, Wolvarine...
Who's the man now?
Mike Gundy, that's who. He gave us all a lot of fun with that press-conference rant last year, turns out the jokes on us. The man can coach. Just ask Missouri.
Can there be anything more perfect than waking up on a Saturday morning in October to watch that Oklahoma/Texas game and then walking outside to find 20 degrees and sunshine? I think not.
My new top 5; Alabama, Texas, Penn State, Texas Tech, Georgia
10 October, 2008
Admissions
The Obama campaign admitted today that it misrepresented $800,000 worth of donations made by the campaign (so far) to ACORN. These donations were made to something called Citizen Services Inc., which of course is a front that didn't fool those of us who have been paying attention for a second. I don't know why they bothered.
In the Annenberg post a few weeks ago, I made sure to include a quote which mentioned ACORN, but I didn't explain it. I just assumed that the group and it's exploits were well-known enough by this point that I didn't have to. Oops. If you're not familiar with them, do some reading here and here.
In the Annenberg post a few weeks ago, I made sure to include a quote which mentioned ACORN, but I didn't explain it. I just assumed that the group and it's exploits were well-known enough by this point that I didn't have to. Oops. If you're not familiar with them, do some reading here and here.
Blerg!
I know others have had their favourite songs maimed in this way so I shouldn't feel that bad about it, but for them to take Here Comes the Flood and name a Grey's Anatomy episode after it...
Fair warning: If I hear one more ad for the Liberals before Tuesday in which they lie through their @%&#ing faces about Harper 'shredding our safety net,' someone will get hurt. And don't get me started on 'Bush style policies.' If you want to hear a Liberal sound like a complete flaming moron, ask them to tell you which Bush style policies Stephen Harper wants to implement. OK, that felt good.
Fair warning: If I hear one more ad for the Liberals before Tuesday in which they lie through their @%&#ing faces about Harper 'shredding our safety net,' someone will get hurt. And don't get me started on 'Bush style policies.' If you want to hear a Liberal sound like a complete flaming moron, ask them to tell you which Bush style policies Stephen Harper wants to implement. OK, that felt good.
Q&A
If you were Prime Minister now, what would you have done about the economy and this crisis that Mr. Harper has not done?
That's the question which tripped up Stephane Dion in an interview with CTV's Steve Murphy last night. Was it phrased a bit inelegantly? yes. But I understand it, and I think anyone who has a good grasp of english that runs it through their head for a few seconds can understand it too. But Dion fumbled it. And he had it repeated to him a few times. Now, there are questions here that I'm sure will make pre-thanksgiving journalism classes across this country a lot livelier than they otherwise might have been today. They all kind of miss the point though. The question that matters here is whether, in a Canada which predominantly speaks english, Mr. Dion can communicate effectively enough in that language to serve as Prime Minister. And I don't think that's a question which is unfair to ask. At this stage in my life, if I were offered a position in Quebec, I couldn't in good conscience accept it. I know I don't speak the language well enough.
Now to those journalism questions. I've never edited tape for news, so I don't really know what the unwritten protocol is for that sort of thing. My gut feeling is that if a subject asks the interviewer to repeat a question, you don't really need to show the bit of tape with the first try. There are obviously exceptions, the exchange between Sarah Palin and Charles Gibson a few weeks ago regarding the Bush Doctrine is a good example, but I think that's a good general rule. I don't think what CTV did here is particularly defamatory, they probably thought the exchange as it happened was news worthy in itself. That's a judgment call as far as I'm concerned. Some people have a problem with Murphy basically restating the question when Dion asked him to clarify it. Murphy might have thought as I do, that the question was already pretty clear. I don't really think he did anything wrong there either. Then there's this whole matter of a hastily fired off backdoor message from the Liberals to CTV to the effect of, 'if you air that bit of tape you'll be sorry.' Well, If I'm a news director, the tape in question airs about four seconds after I get a message that says anything like that one. The Conservatives would *never* get away with trying to bigfoot the media like that.
07 October, 2008
Awful
At this time, I would like to direct a very sternly pointed middle finger towards the New York offices of Major League Baseball. Because of you people, I had to sit through the second presidential debate this evening, an experience I expect to soon be replicated for the current and future residents of Guantanamo Bay. I could have been watching game 1 of the NLCS, but no!
And what a spectacle it was. Not. Could someone please tell Tom Brokaw for next time that the whole freaking point of a town hall debate is to get the candidates to answer unconventional and interesting questions? The questions he came up with or decided to ask were the blandest political pap imaginable.
As for analysis, you won't get much because it wasn't much of a debate. Someone really has to tell Senator McCain that if he conveys the idea that he and Senator Obama mostly agree on everything, voters won't be checking his name in November. The point of a debate is to put divergent viewpoints forward. If you agree on everything, or want to seem like you agree on everything, then the second speaker isn't necessary. The more Senator McCain allows Senator Obama to define himself as a conventional middle-of-the-road politician, the more ground McCain will lose in this campaign. The fact is, Senator Obama's own record tells us that the description of 'middle-of-the-road politician' could not be further from the truth. When he lived in Chicago, Senator Obama worked to further the educational agenda of an unrepentant far-left radical former domestic terrorist. In the Illinois State Senate, he helped defeat a bill which would have forced doctors to give medical treatment to babies who survive partial-birth abortions. In the United States Senate, he has voted with his party 96% of the time, a number which dwarfs any accusation of blind party loyalty he has leveled at Senator McCain. He opposed the plan for the troop surge in Iraq. When he travelled to Berlin, he cancelled a previously planned visit to wounded American servicemen when he was informed that cameras would not be allowed inside. Though he publically voices support for the state of Israel, his personal associations tell a different story. His campaign has consulted with two disgraced former CEOs of Fannie Mae. And I could go on. Senator McCain chooses not to confront his opponent with any of this history, perhaps expecting most voters to somehow encounter it on their own. Good luck to him.
And what a spectacle it was. Not. Could someone please tell Tom Brokaw for next time that the whole freaking point of a town hall debate is to get the candidates to answer unconventional and interesting questions? The questions he came up with or decided to ask were the blandest political pap imaginable.
As for analysis, you won't get much because it wasn't much of a debate. Someone really has to tell Senator McCain that if he conveys the idea that he and Senator Obama mostly agree on everything, voters won't be checking his name in November. The point of a debate is to put divergent viewpoints forward. If you agree on everything, or want to seem like you agree on everything, then the second speaker isn't necessary. The more Senator McCain allows Senator Obama to define himself as a conventional middle-of-the-road politician, the more ground McCain will lose in this campaign. The fact is, Senator Obama's own record tells us that the description of 'middle-of-the-road politician' could not be further from the truth. When he lived in Chicago, Senator Obama worked to further the educational agenda of an unrepentant far-left radical former domestic terrorist. In the Illinois State Senate, he helped defeat a bill which would have forced doctors to give medical treatment to babies who survive partial-birth abortions. In the United States Senate, he has voted with his party 96% of the time, a number which dwarfs any accusation of blind party loyalty he has leveled at Senator McCain. He opposed the plan for the troop surge in Iraq. When he travelled to Berlin, he cancelled a previously planned visit to wounded American servicemen when he was informed that cameras would not be allowed inside. Though he publically voices support for the state of Israel, his personal associations tell a different story. His campaign has consulted with two disgraced former CEOs of Fannie Mae. And I could go on. Senator McCain chooses not to confront his opponent with any of this history, perhaps expecting most voters to somehow encounter it on their own. Good luck to him.
Round 1: the aftermath
So much for October being the showcase for the best in baseball. Between baserunning screw-ups, booted balls, communication breakdowns (sorry torii, that one was all you), botched bunts, and pitchers walking pitchers, it was fundamentally bad baseball all around.
The best team in baseball does not win the World Series. The team which is playing the best baseball wins the World Series. The Cubs had the best record in the National League, the Angels the best record in the American League. Both teams lost their home playoff games and are heading home to stay.
You other five divisions can just shove it, this year proves once-and-for-all that Major League Baseball revolves around the American League East.
In game two of the series, each Cubs infielder had an error. That doesn't change the fact that for those three games the Dodgers were just better.
Pat Gillick is the only executive in baseball history to take four different teams (Toronto, Baltimore, Seattle, Philadelphia) to the playoffs. It actually happened last season, I just never get tired of saying it.
The best team in baseball does not win the World Series. The team which is playing the best baseball wins the World Series. The Cubs had the best record in the National League, the Angels the best record in the American League. Both teams lost their home playoff games and are heading home to stay.
You other five divisions can just shove it, this year proves once-and-for-all that Major League Baseball revolves around the American League East.
In game two of the series, each Cubs infielder had an error. That doesn't change the fact that for those three games the Dodgers were just better.
Pat Gillick is the only executive in baseball history to take four different teams (Toronto, Baltimore, Seattle, Philadelphia) to the playoffs. It actually happened last season, I just never get tired of saying it.
06 October, 2008
Notes from week 5
Monday night: While it was fun seeing Reggie Bush turn on the afterburners--the ESPN tracker said he hit 22mph during his second return--the game really wasn't that close. Everyone's blaming Gramatica this morning, and while I enjoy bashing a kicker when he's down as much as the next fan the 11 penalties didn't help either.
The 2008 Pittsburgh Steelers will be the first ever team to make the Super Bowl with no active players. How did they win that game? Every time I'm impressed with Jacksonville, they execute just poorly enough the next week to make me doubt them again. Too bad.
Apparently the film from the New England game got lost on the way to the Chargers head office. They couldn't stop Ronnie Brown either. When are coordinators around the league going to realize that it's not a trick play, that they're actually going to have to plan for that formation.
Matt Ryan is one of only five quarterbacks to win a game at Lambeau Field during his rookie season. The other four failed to throw for more than 100 yards when they won, Ryan threw for 194.
Washington is 4-1. Istill don't get it, but how can you not say they're the class of that division?
The Giants have looked good, but they're also leading a very charmed life. They played that alternate universe Redskins team which fooled all of us in week 1, and won't face another quality team until they go to Pittsburgh in week 8.
I don't think even the Colts fans were happy after watching what happened in Houston yesterday. I've never seen anything like that and I hope I never do again.
OK, Denver proved that they can shut someone down. But it was another home win.
If Trent Edwards is OK then so are the Bills. Arizona is that kind of team, and strange things happen when teams go west. Larry Fitzgerald is one of the guys in the NFL who knows how to celebrate a touchdown. Good for him.
Tonight: Vikings@Saints, a match-up of two teams who should be better than they've shown so far.
The 2008 Pittsburgh Steelers will be the first ever team to make the Super Bowl with no active players. How did they win that game? Every time I'm impressed with Jacksonville, they execute just poorly enough the next week to make me doubt them again. Too bad.
Apparently the film from the New England game got lost on the way to the Chargers head office. They couldn't stop Ronnie Brown either. When are coordinators around the league going to realize that it's not a trick play, that they're actually going to have to plan for that formation.
Matt Ryan is one of only five quarterbacks to win a game at Lambeau Field during his rookie season. The other four failed to throw for more than 100 yards when they won, Ryan threw for 194.
Washington is 4-1. Istill don't get it, but how can you not say they're the class of that division?
The Giants have looked good, but they're also leading a very charmed life. They played that alternate universe Redskins team which fooled all of us in week 1, and won't face another quality team until they go to Pittsburgh in week 8.
I don't think even the Colts fans were happy after watching what happened in Houston yesterday. I've never seen anything like that and I hope I never do again.
OK, Denver proved that they can shut someone down. But it was another home win.
If Trent Edwards is OK then so are the Bills. Arizona is that kind of team, and strange things happen when teams go west. Larry Fitzgerald is one of the guys in the NFL who knows how to celebrate a touchdown. Good for him.
Tonight: Vikings@Saints, a match-up of two teams who should be better than they've shown so far.
Rumour patrol
I don't usually link to these, but this one is really compelling, if only for the implications it might have for future consumer product design.
Mmmm. As long as they make them talk. Supposedly we'll learn more next Tuesday.
Apparently, Apple has created a brand-new process to sculpt casings for products out of aircraft-grade aluminum, using a system that carves the pieces out of a single block of metal using "3D lasers" and water-jet cutting. The new technique will supposedly allow for seamless components which require no bending or folding, won't use screws to join together, are ultra-light but also "super strong," and will enable the company to rapidly prototype and produce new designs.
Mmmm. As long as they make them talk. Supposedly we'll learn more next Tuesday.
Chaos
Well, as expected, not good is a massive understatement for finances of any kind this morning. The problem with the American bailout, aside from the fact that no one could say for certainty that it would in fact do anything, was the danger of no rules. It basically said that the American government has reached the state in which it will do anything it feels like. It will intervene in any market sector, nationalize industry (AIG), etc. Markets are also waiting to see what industries can get even more handouts, 'hey! why not us?' And on and on it will go forever. The die is cast.
The BOE is setting interest rates at about 4.75, compare that with about 2% in the states and you have an idea of why deals aren't getting done. That and the fact that people aren't sure the U.S. will ever actually be able to back all these new purchases up with anything other than paper which it itself continues to devalue.
Lastly, European countries are racing through laws to put wholesale guarantees on bank deposits, further increasing the chaos.
But of course, in generally chaotic conditions like this, the one silver lining: oil drops like a stone. The reasoning is simple, economic swings usually lead to recession, recession leads to lower demand for nearly everything and especially for oil. And so you can buy a barrel at this moment for under $90. At least that's something.
The BOE is setting interest rates at about 4.75, compare that with about 2% in the states and you have an idea of why deals aren't getting done. That and the fact that people aren't sure the U.S. will ever actually be able to back all these new purchases up with anything other than paper which it itself continues to devalue.
Lastly, European countries are racing through laws to put wholesale guarantees on bank deposits, further increasing the chaos.
But of course, in generally chaotic conditions like this, the one silver lining: oil drops like a stone. The reasoning is simple, economic swings usually lead to recession, recession leads to lower demand for nearly everything and especially for oil. And so you can buy a barrel at this moment for under $90. At least that's something.
05 October, 2008
The VP debate
If you're wondering why it's taken until Sunday afternoon for me to get to this, let's just say that the last few days were spectacularly not fun, and not in the not fun way that I had originally intended.
What can I say? When a flash poll of CNN viewers claims a 60/40 split for Biden, it clearly says to me that Sarah Palin beat him like a drum. It's not entirely his fault, I'm sure anyone who has spent 36 years in the Senate would be totally at a loss in dealing with and relating to someone like her. The phrase which popped into my head more than any other Thursday night was citizen legislators. As an aside, if you haven't read Tom Coburn's book Breach of Trust about the six years he served in the House of Representatives, I can't possibly recommend it highly enough. Another thought I had pretty often; it's too bad she has to blow McCain's horn on so many issues. If she ever runs for the White House herself, she'll put Obamania to shame. When he was selected, I mentioned that I thought Joe Biden had the problem of seeming to talk at his audience rather than to them. That was on full display during the debate. As populist and platitudinous as Palin was at times, she never forgot who she was trying to talk to. Palin was folksy and genuine, Biden seemed self-important. She talked about Joe Six-Pack, he tried much too hard to convince us that he is Joe Six-Pack. She was power to the people, she said stop taking so much of our money and leave us alone and we'll be fine. He said Washington knows what's best. She was awe shucks, she was likable, and she was charming.
I want to blow something out of the water right here and right now, and it is this notion which we're all just supposed to accept, that Joe Biden is a master of facts and numbers and obscure federal regulations and whatever else. Because I don't know that I've ever heard someone who sounded more sure of himself when spouting things which I instinctively knew to be absolute crap.
* That line about the U.S. government spending more in one month in Iraq than it has spent on Afghanistan in seven years blew my mind. For the record, and no I didn't have to specifically look this up, expenditures for Iraq are currently a little less than $10 billion per month, compared with having spent a bit more than $170 billion in Afghanistan since 2001. That means Senator Biden was only off by about 1750%.
* Biden made another huge error when he said that Senator Obama's tax plan would not raise taxes on anyone who earned less than $250,000, a simple reading of the plan reveals the number to actually be $200,000.
* Even if the amount was correct, the above point would only hold true if every business completely absorbed the costs of any additional tax increases without passing them on to consumers. If you believe that...
* on a related point, in order to counter the argument that both Senator Biden and Senator Obama voted in favour of a budget resolution raising taxes on Americans with incomes greater than $42,000, Senator Biden claimed that Senator McCain also voted in favour of that resolution, he did not.
* Biden said flatly that Senator Obama has never stated that he would meet with the leader of Iran without preconditions, a simple Google search provides overwhelming evidence to the contrary.
* Biden said that the bailout which passed the Senate Thursday morning (and passed in the House Friday afternoon) conformed to the four points Senator Obama outlined on September 19th, it does not. The bailout does not contain a direct stimulus package for taxpayers, and it is not part of an agreement between other G-20 countries to take agreed upon action re the financial crisis.
* Biden described the changes Governor Palin requested for the Alaskan tax system re oil companies as a 'windfall profits tax', this is technically wrong and his attempt to link these changes to current proposals in Washington for an actual windfall profits tax is equally wrong.
* Senator Biden's repeated claim that Senator McCain wants to cut taxes for oil companies by $4 billion sinks below simple dishonesty. The cuts to corporate tax rates in McCain's plan apply to all American companies, they are *not* specifically targeted at lowering tax rates paid by oil companies.
There are other points which require much more space to clarify, such as his statement on Hezbollah in Lebanon, and his understanding or lack there of for the role of the vice-president which others have already discussed. By pointing these out, I am not trying to say that Governor Palin did not make any errors on Thursday. She clearly did, no one is perfectly coherent in a forum such as that. My point is that none of her errors were as egregious as the ones I have pointed out above. If they had been, we would have been told countless times by now that they were examples of what a dolt and a simpleton she is, that these mistakes demonstrate that she is clearly unqualified to occupy the office. But when these statements are made by Senator Biden they pass without comment.
What can I say? When a flash poll of CNN viewers claims a 60/40 split for Biden, it clearly says to me that Sarah Palin beat him like a drum. It's not entirely his fault, I'm sure anyone who has spent 36 years in the Senate would be totally at a loss in dealing with and relating to someone like her. The phrase which popped into my head more than any other Thursday night was citizen legislators. As an aside, if you haven't read Tom Coburn's book Breach of Trust about the six years he served in the House of Representatives, I can't possibly recommend it highly enough. Another thought I had pretty often; it's too bad she has to blow McCain's horn on so many issues. If she ever runs for the White House herself, she'll put Obamania to shame. When he was selected, I mentioned that I thought Joe Biden had the problem of seeming to talk at his audience rather than to them. That was on full display during the debate. As populist and platitudinous as Palin was at times, she never forgot who she was trying to talk to. Palin was folksy and genuine, Biden seemed self-important. She talked about Joe Six-Pack, he tried much too hard to convince us that he is Joe Six-Pack. She was power to the people, she said stop taking so much of our money and leave us alone and we'll be fine. He said Washington knows what's best. She was awe shucks, she was likable, and she was charming.
I want to blow something out of the water right here and right now, and it is this notion which we're all just supposed to accept, that Joe Biden is a master of facts and numbers and obscure federal regulations and whatever else. Because I don't know that I've ever heard someone who sounded more sure of himself when spouting things which I instinctively knew to be absolute crap.
* That line about the U.S. government spending more in one month in Iraq than it has spent on Afghanistan in seven years blew my mind. For the record, and no I didn't have to specifically look this up, expenditures for Iraq are currently a little less than $10 billion per month, compared with having spent a bit more than $170 billion in Afghanistan since 2001. That means Senator Biden was only off by about 1750%.
* Biden made another huge error when he said that Senator Obama's tax plan would not raise taxes on anyone who earned less than $250,000, a simple reading of the plan reveals the number to actually be $200,000.
* Even if the amount was correct, the above point would only hold true if every business completely absorbed the costs of any additional tax increases without passing them on to consumers. If you believe that...
* on a related point, in order to counter the argument that both Senator Biden and Senator Obama voted in favour of a budget resolution raising taxes on Americans with incomes greater than $42,000, Senator Biden claimed that Senator McCain also voted in favour of that resolution, he did not.
* Biden said flatly that Senator Obama has never stated that he would meet with the leader of Iran without preconditions, a simple Google search provides overwhelming evidence to the contrary.
* Biden said that the bailout which passed the Senate Thursday morning (and passed in the House Friday afternoon) conformed to the four points Senator Obama outlined on September 19th, it does not. The bailout does not contain a direct stimulus package for taxpayers, and it is not part of an agreement between other G-20 countries to take agreed upon action re the financial crisis.
* Biden described the changes Governor Palin requested for the Alaskan tax system re oil companies as a 'windfall profits tax', this is technically wrong and his attempt to link these changes to current proposals in Washington for an actual windfall profits tax is equally wrong.
* Senator Biden's repeated claim that Senator McCain wants to cut taxes for oil companies by $4 billion sinks below simple dishonesty. The cuts to corporate tax rates in McCain's plan apply to all American companies, they are *not* specifically targeted at lowering tax rates paid by oil companies.
There are other points which require much more space to clarify, such as his statement on Hezbollah in Lebanon, and his understanding or lack there of for the role of the vice-president which others have already discussed. By pointing these out, I am not trying to say that Governor Palin did not make any errors on Thursday. She clearly did, no one is perfectly coherent in a forum such as that. My point is that none of her errors were as egregious as the ones I have pointed out above. If they had been, we would have been told countless times by now that they were examples of what a dolt and a simpleton she is, that these mistakes demonstrate that she is clearly unqualified to occupy the office. But when these statements are made by Senator Biden they pass without comment.
02 October, 2008
Disaster
What are the odds of both a 2B and then a 1B making errors on consecutive probable double-play balls and getting no outs from either? I think I'd even feel sorry for the Yankees if what just happened to the Cubs in the Dodgers second ever happened to them. Poor, poor Cubs. Poor, poor Cub fans.
Keep in mind
Both Palin and Biden are in a sense working for the top halves of their tickets. I'll provide an example we're very likely to here. When discussing the mortgage mess, John McCain has clearly and decidedly stayed away from criticizing the FMs and any Democratic enablers they may have had in congress. Governor Palin will have to echo this position to a point. If she is asked a question such as who is responsible for the mortgage crisis, expect her to come out with something like greedy bankers or predatory lenders. That's the position John McCain has taken and she pretty much has to stick to it.
Than what's the point? Palin will still be able to talk about things like why government usually doesn't work, how cutting business taxes helps everyone, how she's a reformer who doesn't agree with the way things are done in Washington. She can still be herself. She'll just have to find a way to square her philosophy with some of McCain's policy positions.
Than what's the point? Palin will still be able to talk about things like why government usually doesn't work, how cutting business taxes helps everyone, how she's a reformer who doesn't agree with the way things are done in Washington. She can still be herself. She'll just have to find a way to square her philosophy with some of McCain's policy positions.
The truth about McCain's health care plan
Update: Thank goodness, Yuval Levin just wrote a column discussing this. You can go read it instead.
Because you're sure not tgoing to hear it from Senator Obama or Senator Biden.
During the debate, Senator Obama said the following:
OK, Senator Obama can demagogue the issue this way because it's very, very complicated. I'll try to untangle and unspin exactly what he's saying here. The most important thing to remember before we start is that, in terms of buying health insurance in America, things are not equal depending on who buys it. What do I mean? if an individual buys health insurance with money which is considered to be his own income, the payment is taxed. But if an employer buys health insurance for his employee, that payment is not taxed. So there is an incentive built into the system for workers to have their employers pay for their health care instead of buying it on their own.
Senator McCain's plan takes $5,000, the amount of money which is currently the tax credit for employers to use when buying health insurance for their employees, and gives it to individuals as an insurance tax credit. That means that they can buy health insurance on their own with no tax penalty, or continue to buy it through their employer. What this also does is return the money employers subtract for health care to their employees' paychecks. If the tax on an individual's health care payment is less than $5,000, the left over money is placed in a health savings account.
When Senator Obama says, "your employer now has to pay taxes on the health care that you're getting from your employer," this is nonsense. You're employer can deduct the portion of your paycheck he always has, and you can designate your $5,000 credit to pay for the taxes on the health care payments.
It is true that when your employer pays you the money which formerly went to your health care plan, that money which has been restored to your paycheck will be taxed as income. However, the $5,000 credit more than makes up for the additional amount of income tax, except at levels of taxation found at the very highest income bracket.
The benefit of this plan is that health care providers will be able to offer plans which can be focused on specific customers instead of those which are more generally acceptable to employers. This will allow individuals to search for a plan which better fits their needs without being restricted to whatever health care plan is provided through their employer. Individuals will no longer have to pay a tax penalty for choosing to buy health insurance on their own.
And I would like to ask Senator Obama what is so wrong with the open market? Why should the free market only be acceptable for buying things people don't need? It is a fact that throughout history, increased competition in the free market has *always* lead to better and more varied products being offered at lower prices, no matter the good or service concerned.
Because you're sure not tgoing to hear it from Senator Obama or Senator Biden.
During the debate, Senator Obama said the following:
Just one last point I want to make, since Senator McCain talked about providing a $5,000 health credit. Now, what he doesn't tell you is that he intends to, for the first time in history, tax health benefits. So you may end up getting a $5,000 tax credit. Here's the only problem: Your employer now has to pay taxes on the health care that you're getting from your employer. And if you end up losing your health care from your employer, you've got to go out on the open market and try to buy it. It is not a good deal for the American people. But it's an example of this notion that the market can always solve everything and that the less regulation we have, the better off we're going to be.
OK, Senator Obama can demagogue the issue this way because it's very, very complicated. I'll try to untangle and unspin exactly what he's saying here. The most important thing to remember before we start is that, in terms of buying health insurance in America, things are not equal depending on who buys it. What do I mean? if an individual buys health insurance with money which is considered to be his own income, the payment is taxed. But if an employer buys health insurance for his employee, that payment is not taxed. So there is an incentive built into the system for workers to have their employers pay for their health care instead of buying it on their own.
Senator McCain's plan takes $5,000, the amount of money which is currently the tax credit for employers to use when buying health insurance for their employees, and gives it to individuals as an insurance tax credit. That means that they can buy health insurance on their own with no tax penalty, or continue to buy it through their employer. What this also does is return the money employers subtract for health care to their employees' paychecks. If the tax on an individual's health care payment is less than $5,000, the left over money is placed in a health savings account.
When Senator Obama says, "your employer now has to pay taxes on the health care that you're getting from your employer," this is nonsense. You're employer can deduct the portion of your paycheck he always has, and you can designate your $5,000 credit to pay for the taxes on the health care payments.
It is true that when your employer pays you the money which formerly went to your health care plan, that money which has been restored to your paycheck will be taxed as income. However, the $5,000 credit more than makes up for the additional amount of income tax, except at levels of taxation found at the very highest income bracket.
The benefit of this plan is that health care providers will be able to offer plans which can be focused on specific customers instead of those which are more generally acceptable to employers. This will allow individuals to search for a plan which better fits their needs without being restricted to whatever health care plan is provided through their employer. Individuals will no longer have to pay a tax penalty for choosing to buy health insurance on their own.
And I would like to ask Senator Obama what is so wrong with the open market? Why should the free market only be acceptable for buying things people don't need? It is a fact that throughout history, increased competition in the free market has *always* lead to better and more varied products being offered at lower prices, no matter the good or service concerned.
The problem with government
Four...hundred...and...fifty...one...pages.
Just take a quick look at this bill. Just punch a few random page numbers into Acrobat and take a look. Now, after you've done that, ask yourself a question. What the hell is this?
If you were a member of the House of Representatives, how long do you honestly think it would take you to read this bill, research every department, agency, and program effected by it, consult experts as to what kind of effect they believe each change would have, and then finally decide whether you believe it should be passed? Five weeks? three months? a year? In Washington, when a bill like this one exits its committee, it is often printed, distributed to the membership, debated, and voted on in a matter of days. The tax implications of this bill alone are estimated to have an effect worth greater than $1.5 billion. Of course in Washington $1.5 billion is nothing. With a federal budget of greater than three trillion dollars it's not even a blip.
When combined with the first ten rights and amendments, the United States Constitution, the greatest document ever written in the history of humanity's existence on planet Earth, is less than fifty pages long. This bill is 451 pages long and is an obscenity. In fact, nearly every single measure in it spits on the principles found in the Constitution. And in less than 24 hours it will become law. When that happens, it will not be an occasion worth celebrating.
Just take a quick look at this bill. Just punch a few random page numbers into Acrobat and take a look. Now, after you've done that, ask yourself a question. What the hell is this?
If you were a member of the House of Representatives, how long do you honestly think it would take you to read this bill, research every department, agency, and program effected by it, consult experts as to what kind of effect they believe each change would have, and then finally decide whether you believe it should be passed? Five weeks? three months? a year? In Washington, when a bill like this one exits its committee, it is often printed, distributed to the membership, debated, and voted on in a matter of days. The tax implications of this bill alone are estimated to have an effect worth greater than $1.5 billion. Of course in Washington $1.5 billion is nothing. With a federal budget of greater than three trillion dollars it's not even a blip.
When combined with the first ten rights and amendments, the United States Constitution, the greatest document ever written in the history of humanity's existence on planet Earth, is less than fifty pages long. This bill is 451 pages long and is an obscenity. In fact, nearly every single measure in it spits on the principles found in the Constitution. And in less than 24 hours it will become law. When that happens, it will not be an occasion worth celebrating.
Little thoughts
Because playoff baseball games should never end at freaking 1:22 in the morning!
All the favourites won. Yes, the Dodgers are the team that should be expected to win their series. Deal with it.
Isn't it strange to see Manny running out grounders? and home runs?
Some numbers for Wrigleyville to ponder this morning: In the National League, teams which have won the first game of a divisional series have won that series 85% of the time. The Cubs have lost the last 10 series in which they have lost game 1. In other words, if you guys think this is your year, this will really be your year.
Can you remember the noise dying down in the friendly confines like it did after the top of the fifth yesterday? We all remember what happened in 2003, but that more or less took 20 minutes to unfold. Yesterday it sounded like someone turned the bleachers off.
I'm not sure who got the better half of the Ramirez/Bay trade. And considering the numbers Manny put up in the last two months of the season that's pretty amazing.
All the favourites won. Yes, the Dodgers are the team that should be expected to win their series. Deal with it.
Isn't it strange to see Manny running out grounders? and home runs?
Some numbers for Wrigleyville to ponder this morning: In the National League, teams which have won the first game of a divisional series have won that series 85% of the time. The Cubs have lost the last 10 series in which they have lost game 1. In other words, if you guys think this is your year, this will really be your year.
Can you remember the noise dying down in the friendly confines like it did after the top of the fifth yesterday? We all remember what happened in 2003, but that more or less took 20 minutes to unfold. Yesterday it sounded like someone turned the bleachers off.
I'm not sure who got the better half of the Ramirez/Bay trade. And considering the numbers Manny put up in the last two months of the season that's pretty amazing.
How 3 pages became 400
The bill the Senate has just passed is a little confusing, I'll try to explain a bit of how it works and what exactly the final bill is.
Because the bailout bill failed in the House on Monday, the Senate can't simply pass it and then send it to the House. The Constitution states that all revenue bills most originate in the House, so the Senate has attached the bailout to another bill as an amendment. The bill the Senate leadership chose for this is H.R. 6049, a bill consisting mainly of tax changes which passed the house a while ago and passed in the Senate 93-2 last week. The Senate has amended the bill to include the bailout which we've all heard so much about. So that's how the 3-page outline I linked to a few weeks ago became what will be voted on tomorrow in the House.
Now, about this stupid controversy with the wooden arrows. Arrows, as well as all other hunting equipment are taxed, the proceeds given back to the states to support hunting programs and interior management. But of course these arrows are toys, they're not used for hunting. That is why the tax on them--which should never have been levied in the first place--is being removed by this bill.
Because the bailout bill failed in the House on Monday, the Senate can't simply pass it and then send it to the House. The Constitution states that all revenue bills most originate in the House, so the Senate has attached the bailout to another bill as an amendment. The bill the Senate leadership chose for this is H.R. 6049, a bill consisting mainly of tax changes which passed the house a while ago and passed in the Senate 93-2 last week. The Senate has amended the bill to include the bailout which we've all heard so much about. So that's how the 3-page outline I linked to a few weeks ago became what will be voted on tomorrow in the House.
Now, about this stupid controversy with the wooden arrows. Arrows, as well as all other hunting equipment are taxed, the proceeds given back to the states to support hunting programs and interior management. But of course these arrows are toys, they're not used for hunting. That is why the tax on them--which should never have been levied in the first place--is being removed by this bill.
01 October, 2008
Liars
Headline: Prominent Boston Newspaper Publishes Completely Discredited Lies About Vice-Presidential Candidate, Calls Them Truth.
Fortunately, this story has a happy ending. Said newspaper gets absolutely torched by local radio host. Michael Graham did a first rate job of taking out the garbage here, and all it took was a little style and the use of something called logic. Maybe the jackasses who put together that editorial have heard of it. here's a link to the post he mentions at the Campaign Spot.
Fortunately, this story has a happy ending. Said newspaper gets absolutely torched by local radio host. Michael Graham did a first rate job of taking out the garbage here, and all it took was a little style and the use of something called logic. Maybe the jackasses who put together that editorial have heard of it. here's a link to the post he mentions at the Campaign Spot.
Your judicial outrage of the day
Much as I'm sure it will surprise some of my readers to learn, I'm actually opposed to the death penalty. Not for any of the usual arguments of course. I think it's richly earned in most cases. I don't believe it's cruel and unusual. I don't really have a problem with the state exercising that kind of authority. No, my objection is that it's just too easy. It's too clean, too quick, too sorted. I want people who deserve it to suffere for months, then years, then decades, until God sees fit to transport them to the personal hell they deserve to live in for eternity. And you know what? if it costs a few thousand dollars every year for the government to round one of these people up, place them in an 8x8 steel room, and feed them just enough everyday to keep their bodies from shutting down, I wouldn't really mind my tax dollars being used to pay for it. Yes, sometimes I can be an evil person.
Bearing that in mind, meet Muri Peace Chilton. Or rather, meet Murray Allan Gartton, a man who feels compelled to rape and torcher and then kill young women. His first victim fortunately survived being left for dead, his second victim (that we know of) wasn't so lucky. So why are we cursed with having to think of this man today? Well, turns out he just won a personal judgment against the federal government for an injury he sustained while participating in a prison work program. All you need to know about this travesty is what the mother of Heather Corey--the teenaged girl he murdered--had to say. "We never got any money from the government at all."
Bearing that in mind, meet Muri Peace Chilton. Or rather, meet Murray Allan Gartton, a man who feels compelled to rape and torcher and then kill young women. His first victim fortunately survived being left for dead, his second victim (that we know of) wasn't so lucky. So why are we cursed with having to think of this man today? Well, turns out he just won a personal judgment against the federal government for an injury he sustained while participating in a prison work program. All you need to know about this travesty is what the mother of Heather Corey--the teenaged girl he murdered--had to say. "We never got any money from the government at all."
...And then there were eight...
I can't imagine one single person who watched that game last night calling it boring afterwards. It was an absolute classic, a straight up pitcher's duel the likes of which we don't get to see more than a handful of times every season. John Danks and Nick Blackburn were both fantastic. The difference was that the White Sox have both the greatest player of his generation and the man who's hit the 14th most home runs in the history of baseball. The first took away a run from the Twins with the most important outfield assist he's ever made, the second gave the White Sox the only run they needed to punch their ticket to October.
How cool would it be to have an L series in the season which has seen both New York teams miss the playoffs?
How cool would it be to have an L series in the season which has seen both New York teams miss the playoffs?
WHAT!?!!
I shouldn't be surprised by this, but I am. Even with everything I've seen from this bunch over the past eight months, this seems unbelievable to me. 2 minutes ago I decided to do an Amazon search for books by Gwen Ifill, the moderator of the vice-presidential debate on Thursday. Don't ask me why, I was there anyway and the thought just occurred to me. What did I find?
The Breakthrough: Politics and Race in the Age of Obama
It's set to be released on January 20, 2009. Hmm, that date clicks in my brain for some reason...
I still can't believe it. This has to be a joke. How is this woman moderating anything in the next month of any importance whatsoever? First of all, anyone who's seen her reporting on PBS knows she's clearly not objective. But setting that aside, she is in a position to directly benefit financially from the election of Barack Obama (and Joe Biden) because of this book. This is the very definition of a conflict of interest. In fact this makes things we normally see described as conflicts of interest seem above board by comparison. Bernard Goldberg is spinning in his grave and he's not even dead. I give up. There are no rules anymore. Wither America.
The Breakthrough: Politics and Race in the Age of Obama
It's set to be released on January 20, 2009. Hmm, that date clicks in my brain for some reason...
I still can't believe it. This has to be a joke. How is this woman moderating anything in the next month of any importance whatsoever? First of all, anyone who's seen her reporting on PBS knows she's clearly not objective. But setting that aside, she is in a position to directly benefit financially from the election of Barack Obama (and Joe Biden) because of this book. This is the very definition of a conflict of interest. In fact this makes things we normally see described as conflicts of interest seem above board by comparison. Bernard Goldberg is spinning in his grave and he's not even dead. I give up. There are no rules anymore. Wither America.
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