Ten post-election thoughts.
1) Despite the electoral blowout (we'll get to that in a bit), this was a fairly close election. There are two clear options ahead.
The first is for the Democrats to say, "we won, so we don't need to compromise", and for the Republicans to say, "51% isn't a mandate and we won't compromise." This is the expected action but it is also a stupid one. It does nothing but perpetuate the current Washington gridlock.
The second option is for both sides to look at this and say, "gee, the country seems pretty-well split down the middle as to how we should approach things. Of course, this also means both sides of any argument has a large base of support. Let's work together to find solutions that work best for the country."
That second option is what needs to happen. Tip O'Neil was one of the most liberal congressmen ever. Yet, as Speaker of the House, he worked often with several Republican presidents to get shit done -- because that was his job. Representing one's constituents does not mean doing everything you can to block the other side from accomplishing anything. It means making the best deal you can. That means you will sometimes lose. That means you will sometimes get less than you want. That is how the system works.
2) The top two Democrats and top two Republicans in the House of Representatives and Senate should immediately announce they will not be running for leadership positions in the new Congress. They have failed in their jobs and have exhibited no leadership whatsoever. Eight new leaders should be installed and given an opportunity to actually lead.
When we mentioned this to a Republican friend, she said that wouldn't be fair because it takes two to tango and the President should also resign in that instance. We disagree. The President was just reelected, so obviously more people approve of his leadership than do not -- or at least prefer it to the Republican nominee. None of the top eight members of Congress faced reelection this year. While the President does indeed need need to exhibit strong leadership in creating a culture of bipartisan collaboration, he needs to do so with a new Congressional leadership team.
3) The Republicans aren't really as conservative as their loudest members would like us to believe.
A party nominates its presidential standard bearer through the primary process. In that process, people who identify themselves as being a member of the party vote, state by state, on who they think should be their party's nominee for President of the United States. Some states have open primaries, where anyone can vote but, for the most part, if you are voting in a Republican primary, you're a Republican. That being the case, by definition, the nominee is the person the most number of Republicans agree with on the issues.
Let's take a look at the last four Republican presidential nominees.
2000, 2004 - George W. Bush. A moderate who beat out a number of more conservative challengers.
2008 - John McCain. A moderate who beat out a number of more conservative challengers.
2012 - Mitt Romney. A Massachusetts Republican, which amounts to damned-near a Democrat, who beat out a number of more conservative challengers.
That's almost twenty years of moderate Republicans beating out more conservative challengers within their own party. While the Bachmans, Palins and Santorums are the loudest, they are clearly the minority not just in the country as a whole but also in the Republican party.
4) If you are moving to Canada because Barack Obama was reelected, you are a jackass. You also apparently know nothing about Canada, where they have universal health care and pay more taxes than the United States. Oh, and there's also no death penalty, eh.
5) The electoral college system as currently constructed is flawed. Going in to Election Day, the President was expected to carry 16 states, while Mitt Romney was expected to carry 23. 11 were up for grabs. The President claimed five of them and it was over. He eventually took more states but could have only won 21 and still been reelected. Basically, the Democrats won the votes where the people live. And that's a problem. They appear to have systematically targeted the specific areas where they needed to win the votes to get to 270 electoral votes. Now, the Republicans did the same thing but just weren't successful.
If a Democrat were to somehow carry Texas, he or she would only need to carry 10 more states in order to be elected President. This is what the electoral map would look like. In such a scenario, the candidate could win the popular vote by a single vote in each of these blue states, while losing the red ones 100% - 0%, resulting in a disparity of as much as 10 Million votes, while still claiming the presidency. While not likely, it is disconcerting to us that such an outcome is even possible.
If all states were to adopt a policy like that of Nebraska, wherein the electoral votes are split, based on the percentage of the popular vote carried, you'd see a whole lot more visits to Laramie and Laredo than you do now. And that could only be a good thing.
6) If you did not vote, shut the hell up for the next four years. You had your chance.
7) To Donald Trump -- go away already, you jackass circus clown. Maybe if you'd have focused on your business entities and not your sideshow carnival act, your management company might not have lost the contract for the building that has your damned name on it! You're fired!
8) People need to dial down the hatred. We voted for Mitt Romney, too. We lost. Such is life. The patriotic thing to do now is not to wish failure upon the guy we didn't vote for. The patriotic thing to do is say we hope we were wrong. We hope the President succeeds and leads us to better times. We hope that in four years, we look back and say, "yeah, that was the right decision." We'd rather be successful as a nation than right personally.
9) Why do we not have instantaneous electronic voting? Can we work on that in time for 2016?
10) Whether your guy won or lost, take a break from your vitriol to appreciate the fact that you love in a country where you get to vote. And try to realize that simply because someone disagrees with you, that doesn't make them an idiot. Now, they may very will be an idiot -- just not because they disagree with you.
Keep the Faith,
-Gary
10 November 2012
30 October 2012
Focused on the Association -- The 2k12-13 NBA Preview Edition
LeBron got his ring, Dwight Howard got out of Orlando and we get a full slate of games this season. So can we now focus on the actual game?
We hope so.
Rodrique Beaubois, Dallas Mavericks. It's not because his coach hates him; it's not because he has had unfortunate injuries. Roddy B is a bust because he sucks. It's that simple.
Best Off Season, Team:
The Los Angeles Lakers picked up Antawn Jamison, Steve Nash and Dwight Howard, while holding on to Pau Gasol and, amazingly, lowering their salary cap number. Is there anyone they can't get?
Worst Off Season, Team:
The Brooklyn Nyets just traded for the league's current Albatross contract then overpaid for an overrated point guard who promptly got hurt. Their reward? They are now the Atlanta Hawks: a team with a glass ceiling of 40-45 wins, second-round flameouts and a perpetually maxed-out cap. Hey, at least they have a shiny new building.
Best Off Season, Fans:
They don't know it now but the Atlanta Hawks got rid of almost all of their bad contracts and are poised to rebuild the right way. Now, can they overcome the fact that Atlanta is a horrible sports town and still get guys to sign there in the coming years?
Worst Off Season, Fans:
The Oklahoma City Thunder just traded away the reigning Sixth Man of the year. Five days before the season started. And got nothing that will help them today. Life in a small market. Or karma for stealing another city's team.
When you obtain the best center in the game and don't give up either of your two best players, how can anyone else win this award? Los Angeles Lakers acquisition of Dwight Howard.
The Orlando Magic being involved in a four-team trade in which they were the only team that failed to get better. The Lakers got Dwight Howard; the Sixers got Andrew Bynum, the Nuggets got Andrae Iguodala and the Magic got...Aaron Aflalo? No -- they got raped. And it was a legitimate rape.
The New York Knicks signed a 39 year-old point guard with a history of beating woman to a three-year contract and Jason Kidd promptly got his third DUI. Good luck with that.
JaVale McGee, Denver Nuggets. When did this guy become so allegedly talented? The media have this guy as the next Dwight Howard, minus the menstrual drama. We don't see it.
While the Spurs have some new alternate unis we're quite fond of and the Nyets have a whole new look that we don't dislike, the award has got to go to the Nuggets for this new alternate uniform, despite the Marquette shorts. Beautiful!
PG – Derek FisherSG – Leandro "Babydaddy" Barbosa
SF – Josh Howard
PF – Kenyon Martin
C – Dan Gadzuric (hey, it was either him or Mehmet Okur)
Sixth Man: Michael Redd
Coach: Jeff Van Gundy
And finally, our annual Useless Playoff Predictions:
EAST:
Division Champions: Boston Celtics, Indiana Pacers, Miami Heat
We hope so.
The preseason awards and useless predictions:
First Coach to be Fired:
Avery Johnson, Brooklyn Nyets. Unrealistic expectations for what is, at best, a mediocre roster. If they start slow, in this conference, Avery will be gone.
Breakout Season Coming From:
Don't be shocked if it's: Darren Collison, Dallas Mavericks
We Give Up On:
Rodrique Beaubois, Dallas Mavericks. It's not because his coach hates him; it's not because he has had unfortunate injuries. Roddy B is a bust because he sucks. It's that simple.
We Still Say He's a Star In-the-Making:
Best Off Season, Team:
The Los Angeles Lakers picked up Antawn Jamison, Steve Nash and Dwight Howard, while holding on to Pau Gasol and, amazingly, lowering their salary cap number. Is there anyone they can't get?
Worst Off Season, Team:
The Brooklyn Nyets just traded for the league's current Albatross contract then overpaid for an overrated point guard who promptly got hurt. Their reward? They are now the Atlanta Hawks: a team with a glass ceiling of 40-45 wins, second-round flameouts and a perpetually maxed-out cap. Hey, at least they have a shiny new building.
Best Off Season, Fans:
They don't know it now but the Atlanta Hawks got rid of almost all of their bad contracts and are poised to rebuild the right way. Now, can they overcome the fact that Atlanta is a horrible sports town and still get guys to sign there in the coming years?
Worst Off Season, Fans:
The Oklahoma City Thunder just traded away the reigning Sixth Man of the year. Five days before the season started. And got nothing that will help them today. Life in a small market. Or karma for stealing another city's team.
Best Off Season Trade:
When you obtain the best center in the game and don't give up either of your two best players, how can anyone else win this award? Los Angeles Lakers acquisition of Dwight Howard.
Worst Off Season Trade:
The Orlando Magic being involved in a four-team trade in which they were the only team that failed to get better. The Lakers got Dwight Howard; the Sixers got Andrew Bynum, the Nuggets got Andrae Iguodala and the Magic got...Aaron Aflalo? No -- they got raped. And it was a legitimate rape.
Sam Cassell Award for he who will bitch the loudest this season about the contract he voluntarily signed:
Shawn Bradley Award for most undeserved contract given to a free agent:
The New York Knicks signed a 39 year-old point guard with a history of beating woman to a three-year contract and Jason Kidd promptly got his third DUI. Good luck with that.
Tyronn Lue Award for he who will turn three good playoff games into a ridiculous long-term contract:
They weren't playoff games but Jeremy Lin has turned a spectacular-- but terribly short -- run into a ridiculous contract with the then-desperate Houston Rockets. Spare us the, "best 26-game span in league history since J. Christ's rookie campaign with the Jerusalem Wanderers in the 27-28 season", crap. The league had no film on him because he was a scrub. As soon as the tape caught up with him, his numbers tanked. They will continue to do so. In two years, Jeremy Lin will be Ickey Woods.
JaVale McGee, Denver Nuggets. When did this guy become so allegedly talented? The media have this guy as the next Dwight Howard, minus the menstrual drama. We don't see it.
Fashion Award:
While the Spurs have some new alternate unis we're quite fond of and the Nyets have a whole new look that we don't dislike, the award has got to go to the Nuggets for this new alternate uniform, despite the Marquette shorts. Beautiful!
All-Jobless Team, as of 30 October:
PG – Derek FisherSG – Leandro "Babydaddy" Barbosa
SF – Josh Howard
PF – Kenyon Martin
C – Dan Gadzuric (hey, it was either him or Mehmet Okur)
Sixth Man: Michael Redd
Coach: Jeff Van Gundy
Rookie of the Year:
Anthony Davis, New Orleans Hornets. Anyone picking someone besides him is just wanting attention.
Don't be shocked if it's: Damian Lillard, Portland Trail Blazers.
And the Number One pick in the 2013 NBA Draft belongs to:
Don't be shocked if it's: Damian Lillard, Portland Trail Blazers.
And the Number One pick in the 2013 NBA Draft belongs to:
Orlando Magic.
And finally, our annual Useless Playoff Predictions:
EAST:
Division Champions: Boston Celtics, Indiana Pacers, Miami Heat
Should get in: Philadelphia 76'ers, Chicago Bulls
The Scrum: Milwaukee Bucks, Brooklyn Nyets, New York Knicks, Toronto Raptors, Atlanta Hawks
Give the Slots to: New York, Toronto and Atlanta
Round One:
(1) Miami over (8) Atlanta
(2) Indiana over (7) Toronto
(3) Boston over (6) New York
(4) Philadelphia over (5) Chicago
Conference Semifinals:
Miami over Philadelphia
Boston over Indiana
Conference Finals:
Miami Heat over Boston Celtics
WEST:
Division Champions: Oklahoma City Thunder, Los Angeles Lakers, Memphis Grizzlies
Should get in: Denver Nuggets, San Antonio Spurs, Los Angeles Clippers
The Scrum: Utah Jazz, Dallas Mavericks, Minnesota Timberwolves, Golden State Warriors, Portland Trail BlazersGive the slots to: Dallas, Utah.
Round One:
(1) Oklahoma City over (8)Utah
(2) Los Angeles Lakers over (7) Dallas
(3) Memphis over (6) San Antonio
(4) Los Angeles Clippers over (5) Denver Nuggets
Conference Semifinals:
Oklahoma City over LA Clippers
LA Lakers over Memphis
Conference Finals:
Los Angeles Lakers over Oklahoma City Thunder
Your 2012-2013 NBA Champions:
(1) Miami over (8) Atlanta
(2) Indiana over (7) Toronto
(3) Boston over (6) New York
(4) Philadelphia over (5) Chicago
Conference Semifinals:
Miami over Philadelphia
Boston over Indiana
Conference Finals:
Miami Heat over Boston Celtics
WEST:
Division Champions: Oklahoma City Thunder, Los Angeles Lakers, Memphis Grizzlies
Should get in: Denver Nuggets, San Antonio Spurs, Los Angeles Clippers
The Scrum: Utah Jazz, Dallas Mavericks, Minnesota Timberwolves, Golden State Warriors, Portland Trail BlazersGive the slots to: Dallas, Utah.
Round One:
(1) Oklahoma City over (8)Utah
(2) Los Angeles Lakers over (7) Dallas
(3) Memphis over (6) San Antonio
(4) Los Angeles Clippers over (5) Denver Nuggets
Conference Semifinals:
Oklahoma City over LA Clippers
LA Lakers over Memphis
Conference Finals:
Los Angeles Lakers over Oklahoma City Thunder
Your 2012-2013 NBA Champions:
Los Angeles Lakers, over Miami, in 5.
30 teams...82 games...236,160 minutes of pure roundball bliss!
Life is good.
30 teams...82 games...236,160 minutes of pure roundball bliss!
Life is good.
14 September 2012
Focused on the Arena, Vol. 2
We're off!
Item:
By this stage in the game, we've usually endorsed a candidate for the Presidency. This time around, it's not so simple for us. We have serious concerns with both candidates and their plans going forward. For the first time, we may actually be acting on the tired cliche of picking the lesser of two evils. It's a tired refrain in US politics but one that sadly, we find our self facing.
Let's focus on the positives we see first.
The President has not, in our opinion, done a bad job. All things being equal, while not entirely on board with what he is doing, we'd feel OK giving him another four years and seeing where we stand then. The economy is a slow-moving beast and the situation inherited is not going to be corrected overnight. We see signs of recovery and are personally better off than we were four years ago.
As for the other candidate, in an allegedly toxic economy, Mitt Romney has made millions of dollars. Wouldn't it make sense to have someone in office with that track record, when battling a lingering recession? Who cares how he did it? If it was legal, we don't. Similarly, we do not care about what he paid in taxes. It's frankly none of our business. We are not naive enough to think that a rich man failed to take advantage of every single tax loophole available to him. If we had his resources, we would do exactly the same thing. He has been a successful businessman and Governor. In order to excel in business in the long-term, one must be a coalition builder. One must be able to get large groups of people with differing agendas to buy in to his vision and follow him. Again, this sounds like something we'd like to see in a president.
Romney has his flaws however.
His stated goal, on Day One, is to repeal Obamacare. To this, we could not possibly be more adamantly opposed.
Obamacare is flawed. We do not think it is the panacea the donkeys would like to think it is. However, since the beginning of the health care debate, our desire has been to see a new system put into place, for us to live with it for five years or so, then tweak (or completely disassemble) as needed. Revamping a five-year old system is going to be infinitely more doable than what we just went through getting through the entrenched special interests in order to get to Obamacare. And nothing that happens in the next five years is going to bankrupt the country.
The first president to propose health care reform was...wait for it...Harry S. Truman. That was over 60 years ago! And it took the single greatest financial crisis since the Great Depression to get people so fed up that they actually did something -- sent a clear and unmistakable signal to Washington that it was time to do it. To say that he wants to just repeal it on Day One makes it very hard for us to vote for Mitt Romney. Tweak it? Sure. Heavily modify it? Not so sure but, OK, we're on board still. Repeal it? We can't go there.
So how about Obama?
Well, the first problem we have with him is that he had a super majority in congress and pissed it away. Health care got done but what else? The entire Democratic party had an opportunity to shine -- to reach across the aisle, build coalitions and take this country to heights never before seen.
But they didn't. They pranced and preened and shut the elephants out of the conversation and squandered the opportunity -- our opportunity.
This lack of leadership on the part of the President was troubling but nowhere near as troubling as his approach to the war he already won, when he issued an Executive Order that far superseded the traditional scope of such edicts.
An Executive Order is supposed to clarify existing law, not make new law. His Order regarding contraception absolutely exceeded accepted parameters. Forcing religious institutions to provide insurance coverage that pays for birth control -- something to which they are morally opposed -- is not only a clear violation of the separation of church and state, it is also sexist. There is no provision providing free condoms for men. Why? Because men are not the votes he is aiming for here. The pro-abortion -- and make no mistake, they are not pro-choice, they are absolutely pro-abortion -- cabal that has hijacked the Democratic party is absolutely determined to make abortion the central issue in this election.
As the leader of his party, Barack Obama has done nothing to deter these people. To the contrary, he has sided with them and encouraged them every step of the way. He has fueled the fire of an alleged War on Women much in the same way as he has stoked the flames of the Class War. This is not how one leads. This is how one creates an environment of blame, where, if and when things go bad, he has willing minions to take the fall -- and his blame.
So we're torn. We do not think the unregulated wild west economy the Republicans seem to want is the answer. We do not believe in trickle down. Never have, never will. The President was elected on more than issues though. He was elected to lead. He was elected to take our hopes and change them into reality. In many ways, he has failed to do so.
While we're not fervently on board either of these guys' trains, in the end, we need to either vote for one of them or cast a protest vote for Gary Bates. (hmmm, that's a good idea for another blog post)
We don't see this as a particularly dire election. If Obama is reelected, we don't think the country is going to go bankrupt or we'll be overrun with Mexicans and jihadists. If Romney prevails, we don't see bread lines and women in chains. The next four years are going to be about continued economic recovery and a fight for the allegiance of the middle.
That being the case, we're not particularly passionate about either candidate. We are, however passionate about human life. We believe in the sanctity of human life, from conception until natural death, with very limited exceptions. We base that belief not only on our religious faith but also on the science. We've never seen a human zygote become anything other than a human being. We've not seen one become a giraffe. Or a Buick. Until we do, we will consider the only difference between a seven second-old zygote and a seven decade-old man to be that they are on a different place on the exact same life cycle. If it is wrong to kill the 70 year-old man, how is it OK to kill the zygote? And if we cannot kill the 70 year-old man based on how he was conceived, how can we do so to the zygote?
In an election where we're not fully sold on either candidate's plan, we're going to choose life.
We endorse Mitt Romney for the office of President of the United States.
Whomever wins, may God, in His infinite love and wisdom, guide him.
And with that, we bid you adieu.
Until next time,
Keep the Faith
Item:
By this stage in the game, we've usually endorsed a candidate for the Presidency. This time around, it's not so simple for us. We have serious concerns with both candidates and their plans going forward. For the first time, we may actually be acting on the tired cliche of picking the lesser of two evils. It's a tired refrain in US politics but one that sadly, we find our self facing.
Let's focus on the positives we see first.
The President has not, in our opinion, done a bad job. All things being equal, while not entirely on board with what he is doing, we'd feel OK giving him another four years and seeing where we stand then. The economy is a slow-moving beast and the situation inherited is not going to be corrected overnight. We see signs of recovery and are personally better off than we were four years ago.
As for the other candidate, in an allegedly toxic economy, Mitt Romney has made millions of dollars. Wouldn't it make sense to have someone in office with that track record, when battling a lingering recession? Who cares how he did it? If it was legal, we don't. Similarly, we do not care about what he paid in taxes. It's frankly none of our business. We are not naive enough to think that a rich man failed to take advantage of every single tax loophole available to him. If we had his resources, we would do exactly the same thing. He has been a successful businessman and Governor. In order to excel in business in the long-term, one must be a coalition builder. One must be able to get large groups of people with differing agendas to buy in to his vision and follow him. Again, this sounds like something we'd like to see in a president.
Romney has his flaws however.
His stated goal, on Day One, is to repeal Obamacare. To this, we could not possibly be more adamantly opposed.
Obamacare is flawed. We do not think it is the panacea the donkeys would like to think it is. However, since the beginning of the health care debate, our desire has been to see a new system put into place, for us to live with it for five years or so, then tweak (or completely disassemble) as needed. Revamping a five-year old system is going to be infinitely more doable than what we just went through getting through the entrenched special interests in order to get to Obamacare. And nothing that happens in the next five years is going to bankrupt the country.
The first president to propose health care reform was...wait for it...Harry S. Truman. That was over 60 years ago! And it took the single greatest financial crisis since the Great Depression to get people so fed up that they actually did something -- sent a clear and unmistakable signal to Washington that it was time to do it. To say that he wants to just repeal it on Day One makes it very hard for us to vote for Mitt Romney. Tweak it? Sure. Heavily modify it? Not so sure but, OK, we're on board still. Repeal it? We can't go there.
So how about Obama?
Well, the first problem we have with him is that he had a super majority in congress and pissed it away. Health care got done but what else? The entire Democratic party had an opportunity to shine -- to reach across the aisle, build coalitions and take this country to heights never before seen.
But they didn't. They pranced and preened and shut the elephants out of the conversation and squandered the opportunity -- our opportunity.
This lack of leadership on the part of the President was troubling but nowhere near as troubling as his approach to the war he already won, when he issued an Executive Order that far superseded the traditional scope of such edicts.
An Executive Order is supposed to clarify existing law, not make new law. His Order regarding contraception absolutely exceeded accepted parameters. Forcing religious institutions to provide insurance coverage that pays for birth control -- something to which they are morally opposed -- is not only a clear violation of the separation of church and state, it is also sexist. There is no provision providing free condoms for men. Why? Because men are not the votes he is aiming for here. The pro-abortion -- and make no mistake, they are not pro-choice, they are absolutely pro-abortion -- cabal that has hijacked the Democratic party is absolutely determined to make abortion the central issue in this election.
As the leader of his party, Barack Obama has done nothing to deter these people. To the contrary, he has sided with them and encouraged them every step of the way. He has fueled the fire of an alleged War on Women much in the same way as he has stoked the flames of the Class War. This is not how one leads. This is how one creates an environment of blame, where, if and when things go bad, he has willing minions to take the fall -- and his blame.
So we're torn. We do not think the unregulated wild west economy the Republicans seem to want is the answer. We do not believe in trickle down. Never have, never will. The President was elected on more than issues though. He was elected to lead. He was elected to take our hopes and change them into reality. In many ways, he has failed to do so.
While we're not fervently on board either of these guys' trains, in the end, we need to either vote for one of them or cast a protest vote for Gary Bates. (hmmm, that's a good idea for another blog post)
We don't see this as a particularly dire election. If Obama is reelected, we don't think the country is going to go bankrupt or we'll be overrun with Mexicans and jihadists. If Romney prevails, we don't see bread lines and women in chains. The next four years are going to be about continued economic recovery and a fight for the allegiance of the middle.
That being the case, we're not particularly passionate about either candidate. We are, however passionate about human life. We believe in the sanctity of human life, from conception until natural death, with very limited exceptions. We base that belief not only on our religious faith but also on the science. We've never seen a human zygote become anything other than a human being. We've not seen one become a giraffe. Or a Buick. Until we do, we will consider the only difference between a seven second-old zygote and a seven decade-old man to be that they are on a different place on the exact same life cycle. If it is wrong to kill the 70 year-old man, how is it OK to kill the zygote? And if we cannot kill the 70 year-old man based on how he was conceived, how can we do so to the zygote?
In an election where we're not fully sold on either candidate's plan, we're going to choose life.
We endorse Mitt Romney for the office of President of the United States.
Whomever wins, may God, in His infinite love and wisdom, guide him.
And with that, we bid you adieu.
Until next time,
Keep the Faith
27 August 2012
Focused on the Family, Vol. 4
Or An Open Letter to a Daughter.
Twenty years ago, at this very moment, I was a nervous 23 year-old, sweating bullets. My life was about to change forever and I had no idea what it would mean.
I had been to war. I had moved form Philadelphia, to West Columbia, South Carolina, then on to Texas. I'd been to Saudi Arabia and Spain. I'd been engaged once, married once -- to different women. I'd suffered the loss of a parent, delighted in the love of a woman. Still, nothing prepared me for what was going to happen.
I'll be honest, I prayed daily for your demise in the initial weeks of the pregnancy. I mean, your mother and I had decided pretty early on that abortion was absolutely off the table. Adoption, in the eyes of our selfish youth was also not an option. "We couldn't handle knowing our kid was out there...". So that left keeping you. Still, if God wanted to go another route, I was cool with it.
These were clearly the freaked-out thoughts of a guy WAY too young to be doing this and I never actively prayed for harm to come to you. I just left God the option.
He demured.
I thank Him.
Right about now, we were two hours from meeting you. We didn't even know if you were a boy or girl. I've told you the story of how I had recorded two greetings on our answering machine, then turned it off. After you were born, people would either hear the opening notes of Gloria Estefan's "Bad Boy", then me proclaiming, "It's a Truman!" or, as it turned out, Billy Joel's "Uptown Girl", with my announcement that, "It's a Chelsea!".
It was a long day. Your mother didn't sleep much the night before and, as a result, neither did I. Then I had to be at work at 5:45am. Being young and broke, and not knowing when you would be coming, taking the day off was not something I could do. Since there had been an incident at work the week before, involving an employee's family throwing down in the break room, resulting in a ban from them entering the building, I left your poor mom out in the car, in what turned out to be the early stages of labor.
About 11:00 than morning, she said it was time. I left work and we went to the hospital. They sent us home. By 5:00 we were back and it was go time.
I never understood just how much I could love another human being until I saw your little head pop out, then the shoulders, then -- BAM! (It makes total sense but I didn't expect that after the shoulders, you'd just fly out of there.) The doctor held you up -- leg, leg, chord, penis -- wooHOO! It's a bo...(took another look -- wait, where did it go?!?!)...girl. It's a girl.
The doctor asked if I wanted to cut the rope and I said "hell no!". They cleaned you up and I was pretty cool. Then I went into the hallway to tell everyone and just lost it. I was so overcome with emotion -- with pure, absolute joy. When I think of that night, twenty years ago, I still get that feeling. I still feel so joyful that you were brought into my life.
I hope I have served you well these two decades. I hope I was at least half the father mine was to me, though I cant imagine I was.
Giving justice through word to everything, "from the high to the low to the end of the show", in these twenty years would take words I simply do not possess.
We've had those highs: The night you were born; your first step; your first word: Tiger; watching DVDs in bed and playing with Pablo the Cat; Isabella being born.
We've had the lows: My move to South Carolina then California; the teen years; my cancer.
Though all of that. the one thing that has remained consistent is that I love you more than I could ever love another person. The big days, the vacations and created memories were all great. What was always more important to me though was the everyday stuff. Perhaps because I was a single parent sharing custody, making dinner and watching tv with you and tucking you in, getting you up and ready for school the next day -- those were the important things. The things that mattered. Because that's where the relationship happens.
You are the best thing that ever happened to me and regardless of what you do or where you go, I will always be proud and thankful to call you my daughter. Nothing will ever change that.
The only two things I ever ask in return -- as I have your entire life -- are:
Remember who you are.
And always -- ALWAYS,
Keep the Faith.
I love you Chelsea.
-Dad
Twenty years ago, at this very moment, I was a nervous 23 year-old, sweating bullets. My life was about to change forever and I had no idea what it would mean.
I had been to war. I had moved form Philadelphia, to West Columbia, South Carolina, then on to Texas. I'd been to Saudi Arabia and Spain. I'd been engaged once, married once -- to different women. I'd suffered the loss of a parent, delighted in the love of a woman. Still, nothing prepared me for what was going to happen.
I'll be honest, I prayed daily for your demise in the initial weeks of the pregnancy. I mean, your mother and I had decided pretty early on that abortion was absolutely off the table. Adoption, in the eyes of our selfish youth was also not an option. "We couldn't handle knowing our kid was out there...". So that left keeping you. Still, if God wanted to go another route, I was cool with it.
These were clearly the freaked-out thoughts of a guy WAY too young to be doing this and I never actively prayed for harm to come to you. I just left God the option.
He demured.
I thank Him.
Right about now, we were two hours from meeting you. We didn't even know if you were a boy or girl. I've told you the story of how I had recorded two greetings on our answering machine, then turned it off. After you were born, people would either hear the opening notes of Gloria Estefan's "Bad Boy", then me proclaiming, "It's a Truman!" or, as it turned out, Billy Joel's "Uptown Girl", with my announcement that, "It's a Chelsea!".
It was a long day. Your mother didn't sleep much the night before and, as a result, neither did I. Then I had to be at work at 5:45am. Being young and broke, and not knowing when you would be coming, taking the day off was not something I could do. Since there had been an incident at work the week before, involving an employee's family throwing down in the break room, resulting in a ban from them entering the building, I left your poor mom out in the car, in what turned out to be the early stages of labor.
About 11:00 than morning, she said it was time. I left work and we went to the hospital. They sent us home. By 5:00 we were back and it was go time.
I never understood just how much I could love another human being until I saw your little head pop out, then the shoulders, then -- BAM! (It makes total sense but I didn't expect that after the shoulders, you'd just fly out of there.) The doctor held you up -- leg, leg, chord, penis -- wooHOO! It's a bo...(took another look -- wait, where did it go?!?!)...girl. It's a girl.
The doctor asked if I wanted to cut the rope and I said "hell no!". They cleaned you up and I was pretty cool. Then I went into the hallway to tell everyone and just lost it. I was so overcome with emotion -- with pure, absolute joy. When I think of that night, twenty years ago, I still get that feeling. I still feel so joyful that you were brought into my life.
I hope I have served you well these two decades. I hope I was at least half the father mine was to me, though I cant imagine I was.
Giving justice through word to everything, "from the high to the low to the end of the show", in these twenty years would take words I simply do not possess.
We've had those highs: The night you were born; your first step; your first word: Tiger; watching DVDs in bed and playing with Pablo the Cat; Isabella being born.
We've had the lows: My move to South Carolina then California; the teen years; my cancer.
Though all of that. the one thing that has remained consistent is that I love you more than I could ever love another person. The big days, the vacations and created memories were all great. What was always more important to me though was the everyday stuff. Perhaps because I was a single parent sharing custody, making dinner and watching tv with you and tucking you in, getting you up and ready for school the next day -- those were the important things. The things that mattered. Because that's where the relationship happens.
You are the best thing that ever happened to me and regardless of what you do or where you go, I will always be proud and thankful to call you my daughter. Nothing will ever change that.
The only two things I ever ask in return -- as I have your entire life -- are:
Remember who you are.
And always -- ALWAYS,
Keep the Faith.
I love you Chelsea.
-Dad
12 June 2012
Focused on the 2012 NBA Finals
Someone's getting their second ring, although the argument can be made that it'll be the first.
The Oklahoma City Thunder franchise won the NBA Championship in 1979 as the Seattle Supersonics. The Miami Heat, by most independent observations, were the beneficiaries of a title stolen by referees (one of whom ended up in prison) from the Dallas Mavericks, in 2006.
Either way you look at it, Kevin Durant or LeBron James will stake a claim to Best Player on Earth. How will it play out? Here's our take:
Point Guard
Mario Chalmers vs Russell Westbrook
Not even close. Westbrook is a Batman playing Robin because he is paired with a better Batman. Chalmers is the Penguin.
Advantage: Thunder
Shooting Guard
Dwayne Wade vs Thabo Sefolosha
Sefolosha absolutely shut down Tony Parker in the Western Conference Finals. However, to paraphrase the late Lloyd Bentsen, I've seen Dwayne Wade and Parker, sir, is no Dwayne Wade.
Advantage: Heat
Small Forward
LeBron James vs Kevin Durant
The stuff of barroom arguments. They are both incredible players and have both been absolute studs in the 2012 playoffs. To be honest, we have this one as a dead heat but if we have to pick one...despite LeBron's absolute domination of the East bracket, we simply trust Durant more with the rock in crunch time, both from the field and the line. We also trust him to get his teammates involved as a part of his natural game, not something he has to consciously do, as is the case with LBJ.
Advantage: Thunder
Power Forward
Chris Bosh vs Serge Ibaka
Of the three Heatles, we think Bosh has the most heart. That's not saying much in comparison to the other two but if Miami wins this series, Chris Bosh will be the primary reason. His ability to draw defenders -- particularly shot-blocking machine Ibaka -- out of the lane and free up space for Wade and James to do their thing, if successful, will be the key to this series.
Advantage: Heat
Center
Udonis Haslem vs Kendrick Perkins
The series will not be won or lost here. Neither scores much but both defend and rebound well. We think this series will be decided in the field not the paint. Haslem is the marginally better shooter, so he gets the nod here.
Advantage: Heat
Bench:
Joel Anthony, Norris Cole, Mike MIller and Co. vs James Harden, Nick Collison, Derek Fisher and Co.
Anthony and Collison cancel each other out. Cole is a fine young point guard with a bright future but we'd still take 374 year-old Fisher over him with a game on the line. Mike Miller might go for 20 on a given night but we pretty much expect it from Harden, right?
Advantage: Thunder
Coaching:
Erik Spoelstra vs Scott Brooks
Spoelstra has an extraordinarily hard job. He has to manage the egos of Wade and James, while working in the shadow of Pat Riley. Putting all of that aside, we just don't think he is a very good in-game manager and at times seems overwhelmed in late-game situations. Scott Brooks completely revamped the Thunder's approach, after his team had fallen behind 2-0 to San Antonio in the Western Conference Finals. OKC ripped off four wins in a row and it was over. When Miami found itself in similar circumstances, Spoelstra changed nothing and relied on Wade and James to save the day. The argument can be made that both strategies were effective. The difference here though is that Miami does not have the clear talent and youth advantage it had over the Boston Celtics.
Advantage: Thunder
What does it all add up to? We are very hesitant to ever predict a short Finals series and with the closeness of this matchup on paper, it would seem even more prudent to go six or seven with our pick but we are really feeling five is the right number here. The advantage in heart, quality of opponents in getting here and just the feel we get screams five. Still, we're going to go
OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER in 6
Until next time,
Keep the Faith
The Oklahoma City Thunder franchise won the NBA Championship in 1979 as the Seattle Supersonics. The Miami Heat, by most independent observations, were the beneficiaries of a title stolen by referees (one of whom ended up in prison) from the Dallas Mavericks, in 2006.
Either way you look at it, Kevin Durant or LeBron James will stake a claim to Best Player on Earth. How will it play out? Here's our take:
Point Guard
Mario Chalmers vs Russell Westbrook
Not even close. Westbrook is a Batman playing Robin because he is paired with a better Batman. Chalmers is the Penguin.
Advantage: Thunder
Shooting Guard
Dwayne Wade vs Thabo Sefolosha
Sefolosha absolutely shut down Tony Parker in the Western Conference Finals. However, to paraphrase the late Lloyd Bentsen, I've seen Dwayne Wade and Parker, sir, is no Dwayne Wade.
Advantage: Heat
Small Forward
LeBron James vs Kevin Durant
The stuff of barroom arguments. They are both incredible players and have both been absolute studs in the 2012 playoffs. To be honest, we have this one as a dead heat but if we have to pick one...despite LeBron's absolute domination of the East bracket, we simply trust Durant more with the rock in crunch time, both from the field and the line. We also trust him to get his teammates involved as a part of his natural game, not something he has to consciously do, as is the case with LBJ.
Advantage: Thunder
Power Forward
Chris Bosh vs Serge Ibaka
Of the three Heatles, we think Bosh has the most heart. That's not saying much in comparison to the other two but if Miami wins this series, Chris Bosh will be the primary reason. His ability to draw defenders -- particularly shot-blocking machine Ibaka -- out of the lane and free up space for Wade and James to do their thing, if successful, will be the key to this series.
Advantage: Heat
Center
Udonis Haslem vs Kendrick Perkins
The series will not be won or lost here. Neither scores much but both defend and rebound well. We think this series will be decided in the field not the paint. Haslem is the marginally better shooter, so he gets the nod here.
Advantage: Heat
Bench:
Joel Anthony, Norris Cole, Mike MIller and Co. vs James Harden, Nick Collison, Derek Fisher and Co.
Anthony and Collison cancel each other out. Cole is a fine young point guard with a bright future but we'd still take 374 year-old Fisher over him with a game on the line. Mike Miller might go for 20 on a given night but we pretty much expect it from Harden, right?
Advantage: Thunder
Coaching:
Erik Spoelstra vs Scott Brooks
Spoelstra has an extraordinarily hard job. He has to manage the egos of Wade and James, while working in the shadow of Pat Riley. Putting all of that aside, we just don't think he is a very good in-game manager and at times seems overwhelmed in late-game situations. Scott Brooks completely revamped the Thunder's approach, after his team had fallen behind 2-0 to San Antonio in the Western Conference Finals. OKC ripped off four wins in a row and it was over. When Miami found itself in similar circumstances, Spoelstra changed nothing and relied on Wade and James to save the day. The argument can be made that both strategies were effective. The difference here though is that Miami does not have the clear talent and youth advantage it had over the Boston Celtics.
Advantage: Thunder
What does it all add up to? We are very hesitant to ever predict a short Finals series and with the closeness of this matchup on paper, it would seem even more prudent to go six or seven with our pick but we are really feeling five is the right number here. The advantage in heart, quality of opponents in getting here and just the feel we get screams five. Still, we're going to go
OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER in 6
Until next time,
Keep the Faith
18 May 2012
Focused on Jesse Helms
We're off!
Item:
We came within a Derek Rose ACL and Clippers upset of running the table in our Round 1 NBA Playoff picks. Here's how we see Round 2 shaping up:
(editor's note -- the analysis was done before the series started. as usual, we've just been lazy in posting.)
EAST
(1) Miami Heat vs (3) Indiana Pacers
Miami had no trouble with the Knicks in the first round. That's because the Knicks suck. The Pacers disposed of Orlando in 5. We're just not convinced the Heatles are as good as they think they are. Add in a Pacers coach from Philly and we smell an upset.
Pacers in 6
(4) Boston Celtics vs (8) Philadelphia 76'ers.
We love Sixers coach Doug Collins. We think the Sixers are a talented, exciting team with youth on their side. We think the C-men have their best days behind them. We think their age will eventually catch up with them, after this hyper-speed season. There are so many reasons we want to pick Philadelphia. Still...
Celtics in 6
WEST
(1) San Antonio Spurs vs (5) Los Angeles Clippers
The Spurs swept Utah but we're still not sold on them. We had the Clips losing to Memphis in 7 but they won that road game 7 and face San Antonio. We originally had The Grizz beating the Spurs in 7. We think the LAC is still a year away, even against the cast of Cocoon.
Spurs in 6
(2) Oklahoma City Thunder vs (3) Los Angeles Lakers
The Thunder swept the World Champion Dallas Mavericks out the door and didn't break a sweat after Game 2. The Lakers went seven to beat Denver. We see no way the Lakers win this series, barring catastrophic injury to Westbrook and Durant. The Lake Show will be ending shortly.
Thunder in 5
FURTHER DOWN THE ROAD
We'll revisit after this round but right now we see it going down like this:
Pacers over Celtics
Thunder over Spurs
Thunder over Pacers
~~~
Item:
Here's some food for thought.
Seriously, North Carolina?
Far too often in today's political climate, we tend to label folks on the other side of a given issue pejoratively. Be it evil, stupid, power-hungry, hypocritical or selfish, we tend to disparage others, rather than tote the benefit of our own view, much less try to understand the other side's. Here at FfF, we make a sincere effort to understand all sides of an issue, then lay out our case and let the chips fall as they may.
But this one?
Now, we completely understand the opposition to gay marriage. We do not agree with those who are against it but we get it. We follow the logic and can see how those who think this way get from point A to point B in their logic. That logic, of course, is that marriage is between a man and a woman and anything else -- any broadening of scope, if you will -- will dilute the institution and have negative repercussions. This, of course ignores the fact that the implementation of "no fault" divorces has done more harm to the institution than any one single thing, thus removing the social stigma of divorce and leaving us with about a 50% rate of failed marriages.
Then there is the spiritual component: the bible says homosexuality is wrong, thus making gay marriage legal goes against the bible. Now, it is all well and good to base your personal candidate selection and voting on but the government has no place using the bible as its rule book. That's pretty cut and dry.
Still -- we get those arguments, despite what we feel are gaping holes therein.
However.
The civil union is the perfect solution. It grants the couple all of the legal rights of straight couples. They can make end of life decisions and get the tax benefits and all the inheritance issues and all of the other things that make marriage worth doing legally. It also encourages lifelong commitment, which I would think we're all in favor of and can see the societal benefits of.
The thing a civil union does not do is make it a marriage. What's the difference? Legally, nothing. Semantically -- it makes all the difference in the world. It allows all those opposed to gay marriage on moral grounds an out. It allows for compromise. Homosexuals get equality under the law and those not ready to accept the concept yet get to keep the word marriage. It is a true compromise, in that nobody gets everything they want but no one gets shut out completely. In ten years, when everyone realizes there's no real difference, you change the word.
What North Carolina has done though, seems particularly mean spirited, if not outright cruel. Although gay marriage was already illegal in the state, they went one (major) step forward and actually amended the state constitution to declare that that the only valid "domestic legal partnership" in the state is a marriage between a man and a woman.
Why?
Why go out of your way -- why go to such lengths -- just to block homosexuals from equality under the law? Morality, sanctity of the institution of marriage -- we get all that. This amendment does nothing to further any of that. In fact, we make the argument that is is in direct conflict with Christian morality. Going out of your way to take away someone's rights just because you can and want to is absolutely NOT "what Jesus would do".
If the people of North Carolina were literate enough to read this, I would tell them to be ashamed of themselves.
Alas, even that would be wasted. They're clearly not capable of shame.
~~~
Fare thee well, Donna, we'll see you on the Other Side. Save us a Last Dance.
~~~
Item:
Recent iTunes Purchases:
Rufus Wainwright, Out of the Game -- LP, 2012
Catchy pop stuff with ok lyrics.
***(of 5)
Glen Frey, After Hours -- LP, 2012
Cleanly-performed, if not groundbreaking collection of standards.
***
Keane, Strangeland -- LP, 2012
Echoes of The Killers' Hot Fuss, with a disturbing Coldplay vibe that kills it for us.
**
Willie Nelson, Heroes -- LP, 2012
Old school C&W set is easily one of the best albums we've heard this year. The voice is starting to slip a bit but the lyrics are strong and the playing superb. Kris Kristopherson sounds terrible in his cameo but all other guests (Merle Haggard, Sheryl Crow, Billy Joe Shaver, son Lucas Nelson and Snoop Dogg) absolutely bring it.
**** 1/2
Alanis Morissette, Guardian -- Single, 2012
The first single from her forthcoming album, it has solid verse lyrics (you who has smiled when you're in pain...who has soldiered through the profane) that are undone by a weak chorus both lyrically and musically. (I'll be your keeper of life as your guardian; I'll be your warrior of care, your first warden). What the hell does that even mean? Is it supposed to be a play on prayer warrior?
**
~~~
Quote of the Week:
“Always end the name of your child with a vowel, so that when you yell the name will carry."
--Late Beastie Boy Adam Yauch
~~~
Internet Video of the Week:
Sleep well, Adam.
~~~
Ridiculous Story That Actually Appeared in a Publication of the Week:
Here.
Let. It. Fucking. Go!
~~~
Idiot Criminal of the Week:
Scott Miles of Syracuse, NY.
Here's why.
Dude -- you might not want to hook up with mom after raping her son.
~~
Parting shots: Between the Lakers and Clippers making it to the second round of the NBA Playoffs and the NHL's Kings on the verge of winning the Western Conference, you think Staples Center operators AEG are making a little coin this spring?...Interesting side note to the North Carolina amendment: anyone who received domestic partner benefits at work -- even the straight ones -- just lost them, too...While searching for things to hyperlink for this post, we came across this great headline...
And with that, we bid you adieu.
Until next time,
Keep the Faith
Item:
We came within a Derek Rose ACL and Clippers upset of running the table in our Round 1 NBA Playoff picks. Here's how we see Round 2 shaping up:
(editor's note -- the analysis was done before the series started. as usual, we've just been lazy in posting.)
EAST
(1) Miami Heat vs (3) Indiana Pacers
Miami had no trouble with the Knicks in the first round. That's because the Knicks suck. The Pacers disposed of Orlando in 5. We're just not convinced the Heatles are as good as they think they are. Add in a Pacers coach from Philly and we smell an upset.
Pacers in 6
(4) Boston Celtics vs (8) Philadelphia 76'ers.
We love Sixers coach Doug Collins. We think the Sixers are a talented, exciting team with youth on their side. We think the C-men have their best days behind them. We think their age will eventually catch up with them, after this hyper-speed season. There are so many reasons we want to pick Philadelphia. Still...
Celtics in 6
WEST
(1) San Antonio Spurs vs (5) Los Angeles Clippers
The Spurs swept Utah but we're still not sold on them. We had the Clips losing to Memphis in 7 but they won that road game 7 and face San Antonio. We originally had The Grizz beating the Spurs in 7. We think the LAC is still a year away, even against the cast of Cocoon.
Spurs in 6
(2) Oklahoma City Thunder vs (3) Los Angeles Lakers
The Thunder swept the World Champion Dallas Mavericks out the door and didn't break a sweat after Game 2. The Lakers went seven to beat Denver. We see no way the Lakers win this series, barring catastrophic injury to Westbrook and Durant. The Lake Show will be ending shortly.
Thunder in 5
FURTHER DOWN THE ROAD
We'll revisit after this round but right now we see it going down like this:
Pacers over Celtics
Thunder over Spurs
Thunder over Pacers
~~~
Item:
Here's some food for thought.
Seriously, North Carolina?
Far too often in today's political climate, we tend to label folks on the other side of a given issue pejoratively. Be it evil, stupid, power-hungry, hypocritical or selfish, we tend to disparage others, rather than tote the benefit of our own view, much less try to understand the other side's. Here at FfF, we make a sincere effort to understand all sides of an issue, then lay out our case and let the chips fall as they may.
But this one?
Now, we completely understand the opposition to gay marriage. We do not agree with those who are against it but we get it. We follow the logic and can see how those who think this way get from point A to point B in their logic. That logic, of course, is that marriage is between a man and a woman and anything else -- any broadening of scope, if you will -- will dilute the institution and have negative repercussions. This, of course ignores the fact that the implementation of "no fault" divorces has done more harm to the institution than any one single thing, thus removing the social stigma of divorce and leaving us with about a 50% rate of failed marriages.
Then there is the spiritual component: the bible says homosexuality is wrong, thus making gay marriage legal goes against the bible. Now, it is all well and good to base your personal candidate selection and voting on but the government has no place using the bible as its rule book. That's pretty cut and dry.
Still -- we get those arguments, despite what we feel are gaping holes therein.
However.
The civil union is the perfect solution. It grants the couple all of the legal rights of straight couples. They can make end of life decisions and get the tax benefits and all the inheritance issues and all of the other things that make marriage worth doing legally. It also encourages lifelong commitment, which I would think we're all in favor of and can see the societal benefits of.
The thing a civil union does not do is make it a marriage. What's the difference? Legally, nothing. Semantically -- it makes all the difference in the world. It allows all those opposed to gay marriage on moral grounds an out. It allows for compromise. Homosexuals get equality under the law and those not ready to accept the concept yet get to keep the word marriage. It is a true compromise, in that nobody gets everything they want but no one gets shut out completely. In ten years, when everyone realizes there's no real difference, you change the word.
What North Carolina has done though, seems particularly mean spirited, if not outright cruel. Although gay marriage was already illegal in the state, they went one (major) step forward and actually amended the state constitution to declare that that the only valid "domestic legal partnership" in the state is a marriage between a man and a woman.
Why?
Why go out of your way -- why go to such lengths -- just to block homosexuals from equality under the law? Morality, sanctity of the institution of marriage -- we get all that. This amendment does nothing to further any of that. In fact, we make the argument that is is in direct conflict with Christian morality. Going out of your way to take away someone's rights just because you can and want to is absolutely NOT "what Jesus would do".
If the people of North Carolina were literate enough to read this, I would tell them to be ashamed of themselves.
Alas, even that would be wasted. They're clearly not capable of shame.
~~~
Fare thee well, Donna, we'll see you on the Other Side. Save us a Last Dance.
~~~
Item:
Recent iTunes Purchases:
Rufus Wainwright, Out of the Game -- LP, 2012
Catchy pop stuff with ok lyrics.
***(of 5)
Glen Frey, After Hours -- LP, 2012
Cleanly-performed, if not groundbreaking collection of standards.
***
Keane, Strangeland -- LP, 2012
Echoes of The Killers' Hot Fuss, with a disturbing Coldplay vibe that kills it for us.
**
Willie Nelson, Heroes -- LP, 2012
Old school C&W set is easily one of the best albums we've heard this year. The voice is starting to slip a bit but the lyrics are strong and the playing superb. Kris Kristopherson sounds terrible in his cameo but all other guests (Merle Haggard, Sheryl Crow, Billy Joe Shaver, son Lucas Nelson and Snoop Dogg) absolutely bring it.
**** 1/2
Alanis Morissette, Guardian -- Single, 2012
The first single from her forthcoming album, it has solid verse lyrics (you who has smiled when you're in pain...who has soldiered through the profane) that are undone by a weak chorus both lyrically and musically. (I'll be your keeper of life as your guardian; I'll be your warrior of care, your first warden). What the hell does that even mean? Is it supposed to be a play on prayer warrior?
**
~~~
Quote of the Week:
“Always end the name of your child with a vowel, so that when you yell the name will carry."
--Late Beastie Boy Adam Yauch
~~~
Internet Video of the Week:
Sleep well, Adam.
~~~
Ridiculous Story That Actually Appeared in a Publication of the Week:
Here.
Let. It. Fucking. Go!
~~~
Idiot Criminal of the Week:
Scott Miles of Syracuse, NY.
Here's why.
Dude -- you might not want to hook up with mom after raping her son.
~~
Parting shots: Between the Lakers and Clippers making it to the second round of the NBA Playoffs and the NHL's Kings on the verge of winning the Western Conference, you think Staples Center operators AEG are making a little coin this spring?...Interesting side note to the North Carolina amendment: anyone who received domestic partner benefits at work -- even the straight ones -- just lost them, too...While searching for things to hyperlink for this post, we came across this great headline...
And with that, we bid you adieu.
Until next time,
Keep the Faith
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