( 11:22 PM )
I Swung The Election
Election stuff….
The “Electoral Vote Predictor” has Kerry at 283 to 246 for Bush. This map changes way too much for my taste, but it’s a measurement of what the latest polls have shown. And since the polls have been all over the place this season, I don’t trust them either. However, I like those numbers but I think Kerry has a better shot of taking Ohio than W does. Plus the Redskins lost, so Kerry’s victory is a done deal now.
Even if Bush loses, he’ll still be a threat to run in 2008. Imagine IF America is attacked by terrorists again. The hell the Republicans will raise might have people screaming for their ‘strong protector’ to come back to them. And since he’s a fundraising machine, and McCain will probably be too old to run, and there’s really no one else on the horizon (Bill Frist? Jeb? Tom DeLay!), it’s easy to see Smirky running again in ’08.
Good article in Slate that shows how Karl Rove’s gamble to gin up the evangelical vote may have backfired and upped the challenger’s support by even more. It’s been all about turnout since the debates.
I was kind of afraid of what effect the Osama video might have on the election, but “the conventional wisdom” on the Sunday talk shows seems to be that it only solidifies what you already think. I think it’s a big ‘fuck you’ to Bush from Osama, but I say fuck you to the both of them.
I had dinner with a few Bradley campaign friends and one brought along her brother who is a Bush supporter. We only talked about it for a minute, but it reminded me that people do have legitimate reasons for voting for W. I don’t agree with them at all, but I remembered to step back and respect his thinking.
My thinking on the presidency is somewhere along these lines: I don’t like either’s domestic agenda, however Kerry’s will probably be less ruthless than Bush’s corporate-crony-nomics and more in line with Clintonomics (without the new-ness of the internet/computer revolution to heat up economic growth). So my big points of disagreement are the war in Iraq. And I break that down this way: if the point was WMD, there were none and the sanctions and weapons inspections were working. If the point was to strike at the heart of terrorists, Iraq wasn’t the place to go hunting (Saudi Arabia would have been a much better target!). If the point was to start a domino effect by delivering democracy to the Middle East, it’s unlikely they’d ever elect a government that we approved of. So are you giving them democracy or the appearance of democracy (like we have here)? If the point was the oil, why not really invest in the Apollo Alliance to lessen our dependence on oil and to start a new energy program that America can develop and use to boost our economy. And if the point was Bush’s “End of Days” religious beliefs, you’ve got to keep YOUR religion out of my politics. W is not God or an agent of God, so stop pretending. I don’t get the point of the Iraq war and no one has been able to offer a legitimate explanation of why Americans and Iraqis are dying by the day.
Whatever. I feel like I should be out there on the ground doing something about W. Rather, I know I should. But I’m on the desk for this one and I’ll just have to sit back and see what happens. But I know one thing. If I ever went overseas again and Bush was our President, I wouldn’t admit that I was an American to anyone. It would just be too embarrassing to have that man as our legitimately elected head of state. And I’ve got some traveling to do, so please people – please – try to see a little beyond your fear and line up with those common sense feelings you’ve been having in your heart. Glenn Miller (instrumental?)
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94 comments
( 11:44 PM )
Bark At The Moon
Everywhere you went tonight, people were looking up, trying to check out the lunar eclipse. It was very cool - walking home, people checking out the moon with babes, binoculars, beers and good spirits. It looked a little hazy to me, like there was a dust storm in front of the moon. But the eclipse was there and it was nice to be at one with the rest of the universe gawking at the moon.
And I bring this up because, A) I don't really feel like writing about anything, but just wanted to check in at the blogspot, and B) I dig full moons. In fact, full moons are the main reason I believe in astrology. In my first job after college, I worked in a department that regularly received phone calls from the public generally complaining about this or that. The secretaries in the department hated working on days when the moon was full because the number of calls went up and the quality of calls went down. So once I realized the relationship between the full moon and people's behavior, someone explained to me that just as the moon affects the tide, it also affects some of the 60% of water that makes up us humans. And if there's a cause and effect on people via the moon, it probably exists via the whole Milky Way as well.
And now, seeing that the Red Sox have just defeated the alleged curse that I just began to believe in a couple of years ago, shows that what I believe has no bearing on the universe whatsoever.
Howling in shadows
Living in a lunar spell
He finds his heaven
Spewing from the mouth of hell
And when he finds who he’s looking for
Listen in awe and you’ll hear him
Bark at the moon.
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0 comments
( 1:53 AM )
Hurt
I realized tonight one of the many reasons I prefer football to baseball is that you win or lose all in one night. It doesn't drag on for 7-10 days - it just ends.
And so I expect to be grumpy for the next few days because this Yankees loss will hurt. As much as I tell myself that this curse, that I only officially recognized four days ago, won't be broken until the Sox win a World Series, the truth is that last year the most satisfying part of the playoffs was beating Boston. And I'm sure it feels the same this year for the other side.
Losing sucks and I guess one of the best things about the Yankees during the Joe Torre era is that you've never had to get used to it. But it's something my Red Sox friends have had to endure their, their father's, the grandfathers and their great-grandfathers' lives and I certainly pity them for the experience.
The Buckeyes losing to Michigan year after year in the late '90s hurt. The Steelers losing to the Cowboys in Super Bowl 30 has hurt more than any other sporting experience I remember. I won't be able to watch SportsCenter for the next few days. I'll have to eat a little shit at work. And I'm going to be bummed and annoyed and annoying for the next several days.
So congratulations Red Sox. You did the job that's basically never been done. Fish described this loss as the greatest choke in sports history and I argued for a second. Then I realized the Yanks had 2 perfect opportunities to put this series away and didn't - cough, cough. So I tip my hat and forget about baseball while I not so secretly root for the senior circuit to keep the curse in place.
you could have it all
my empire of dirt
i will let you down
i will make you hurt
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0 comments
( 8:34 PM )
Save It For Later
Damn – I was all set to address the issue of loyalty and then all this stuff happened in the last few minutes to swivel my mind around and mix me up. Starting with Pedro throwing at A-rod after Jeter hit a base clearing triple. I’ve never understood the logic of that move and it makes watching Pedro Martinez get spanked by his daddies all the more enjoyable. There’s no integrity, honor, sportsmanship, or anything gained by it. In fact, it only jeopardized his team’s chance at winning had Hideki been able to knock in another run. But oh well.
Then, just a few minutes ago, my upstairs neighbor came down and asked me to turn my music down. I haven’t done the obnoxiously loud music thing in ages, maybe years (my next door neighbor even asked if I was ok because I hadn’t been cranking the tunes up loud). Anyway – I told Mr. Upstairs, no problem, I’ll turn it down, closed my door, then stopped him and asked if he had ever had a problem with my “volume” in the past. He said he hadn’t and I said it might happen again and that he should come down and let me know. But I added that if he came down every time he heard music coming from my apartment, it would be a problem. Then I realized that I indeed was an asshole. Then I started reading the Red Sox moment thread of emails and decided not to be an asshole by writing about my favorite Red Sox moment - Unbelievable 10/17/03. I detailed it a year ago when I wrote about the ALCS game 7. It’s truly my favorite Red Sox moment though, but I saw no reason to harsh anyone’s nostalgia buzz. To go back 2 steps – the music I was playing was The Essential Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble. I haven’t played Stevie Ray in about 20 years – probably because I started getting into Hendrix soon after Stevie died and decided he was merely a copy cat instead of a great artist. But last night I saw some live footage of Stevie playing “Little Wing” and 100 awesome memories of Stevie came flooding back to me (mostly from my college days, and I won’t go into it here). But no matter how I tried to “hack”-icize Stevie, he’s absolutely still one of my favorite guitar players. His fluidity, his tone, his aggression, his sadness – every facet of his playing makes my heart beat differently. And then (I sound like that kid in “The Elliotts” wireless ad don’t I?), I came back to loyalty. But then Francona just put Dave Roberts in the game with nobody out in the bottom of the 8th and I realized that I’ve already got more than a blog’s worth now, so I think I’ll just save it for later.
Sooner or later - your legs give way, you hit the ground
Save it for later - don't run away and let me down
Sooner or later - you hit the deck, you get found out
Save it for later - don't run away and let me down
You let me down…
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0 comments
( 8:19 PM )
Centerfield
I love my friend Mr. Gregory Joseph. He’s always up for a good debate and usually has some good facts to back up his position. Unfortunately, he and the equally excellent Mike Walls took me a little too literally on last night’s Yanks-Sox game being the “greatest baseball game I’ve ever seen.” I think most people who know me know that I was merely pouring salt in the wound. The greatest game I remember seeing this year was the July 1 game where Jeter “bled for his team.” There was a Pedro-Clemens duel a couple of years ago that ended 1-0 for the Sox that was amazing. And last year’s game 7 of the ALCS was memorable, partly because I was there and partly because when it seemed like things were doomed, the Yanks came back. So I hope we all understand that, yes, I was being an asshole. I’m not going to address everything in Joseph’s blog, but: I’ve seen games in about a dozen different ball parks and I do think that Yankee fans make a difference and are "great fans." Booing your home team is inexcusable (with minor exceptions), but Yanks fans to pay close attention to the game, (generally) stick with them until the end, and they have a good time. I’m proud to be one of them. I think the umps made a bad call on Manny at 3rd base yesterday. If the ump gets it right, no one is talking about Manny making a “mistake.” Personally, I would not have run on Sheffield – I’ve seen him make that throw. But Manny made it safely to 3rd, and I don’t understand why an ump's bad call has heaped all this negativity on Manny. And if I ever found myself in a position of agreeing with Tim McCarver, I would certainly rethink what I thunk. My actual prediction (which I made at work - not here) for the ALCS was Yanks OR Sox in 5, which is not really a prediction. And the reason I didn’t mouth off (beforehand!) was because I agree with Joseph that the Yanks pitching is very suspect. Typing this before game 4 has begun, I’m inclined (or very stupid) to believe Suzyn Waldman’s statement that El Duque is very upbeat and is probably going to win. But I’d also like to think that Derek Lowe is going to give it his best. Here’s hoping it really is a great game. Lastly – I’ll address the political stuff later – but I do recall Mr. Joseph writing or saying he wasn’t going to vote in this election. If he is indeed a “swing voter” and he’s not going to vote – my assumption about targeting the newly registered instead of swingers is justified by his action – or rather, inaction. Play ball!
Got a beat-up glove, a homemade bat, And a brand new pair of shoes
You know I think it's time, To give this game a ride
Just to hit the ball and touch 'em all, A moment in the sun
It's gone and you can tell that one goodbye
Put me in Coach, I'm ready to play today
Put me in Coach, I'm ready to play today
Look at me, I can be
Centerfield
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0 comments
( 11:30 PM )
More Than A Feeling
This is the greatest baseball game I've ever seen (next to last year's ALCS Game 7). Bernie, Hideki, A-rod and the boys are just too much for the sad Sox (Posada just hit a double scoring Bernie - top of the 7th, 17-6). Oh - too good to be true.
I've never been one to believe in curses. I just don't think that something that happened in 1920 can really have a continuing affect on a baseball team 84 years later. But when you blow winning the World Series with one out left in the 9th and get your ass whooped like it's happening tonight, there must be some kind of greater force at work.
And since this will be such a devastating loss for the Sux, I'm just going to have to accept that there really is a curse until someone can find a better answer, or until....well, I don't ever want it to happen so I won't jinx it by mentioning it here.
I looked out this morning and the sun was gone...
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0 comments
( 1:24 AM )
Predictable
Oh - it's so much fun to make meaningless predictions only to have these words haunt you a year from now. With that in mind....
1) Yanks - Sox winner? I have no idea at all. Vegas says the BoSox are the team to beat, but I can't get a feel for it. But even if it's a sweep, irregardless (my favorite non-word) of the winer, the 4 games will probably be spectacular. I prefer Dave Brown's take over Mike Walls (mainly because Walls' move to wearing socks is just incomprehensible to me. If you ever see this Buckeye fan write the words "go Michigan" without the words "fuck yourself" in between them, sign me up for the Benedict Arnold insanity cell). However since I prefer to take a stand (unlike say Brendon McCullin who's contributed some entertaining and enjoyable pieces to 2Walls), I'll do the lame Yanks in 7 routine.
2) Both Bush & Kerry have apparently changed their messages (I never thought Kerry's "A Stronger America" was a real message that meant anything and Bush's 'wrong, but strong' message was....well a little too on point). Kerry's change to something about the economy (I don't pay attention to the day to day tit for tat because it's just too stupid) makes sense, because Bush is vulnerable (ok, horrendous) on it. Bush's change to "tax & spend liberal" is juvenile name calling (even if Kerry doesn't have the balls to admit he is liberal) and must be a move of desperation because the flip-flop tag had some truth and had sunk in and become a part of people's perception of JFK II. Still standing by my prediction of a Kerry victory because of 60% plus voter turnout. (Peoples - I hope you all appreciate what excellent political analyses you're getting here because if you follow the mainstream media - or the righteous, but wrong Greg Joseph - you're still thinking about undecided swing voters and this Wednesday's debate. All that matters from now to the election is that A) neither candidate makes an unlikely HUGE goof, and B) that Osama doesn't get caught before Nov. 2. Yes I want Osama caught, but no, not before election day because Americans are gullible and sentimental - two traits I don't need in an electorate right now).
3) Another reason Bush will go down is because he talks to us like we're stupid. You don't have to repeat yourself 5 times for your argument to sink in - you just have to have a worthwhile argument. Bushie, you can't really be an empty suit and be the alleged most powerful man in the world can you? So I predict I'll be able to travel overseas in 2005 and be proud to be an American again because you're not the President of the United States.
4) Because I'm feeling kinda down and negative at the moment, I predict my Pittsburgh Steelers will stop winning. They've got a rookie QB running the show and New England and Philly are gonna give him a reality check in the coming weeks. And to make things worse, I don't think the Ohio State Buckeyes will win another game this year. Sigh.
5) I'm also going to predict that I'm going to grow up someday. I was going to write a missive about a girl I know who in a seemingly very drunken state this weekend showed shades of a depth and wisdom I'd never seen in her before (possibly because I underrated the depth of her character because of her regular viewings of "The O.C."). I've been futilely trying to spend more time with her only to realize her "it just happens" philosophy was one that I should not only adopt, but embrace.
6) That said, my last prediction has to something to do with children. I love kids - spent the weekend spending some time with friends who have 2-year-olds. They were great fun and very suggestable. Kids operate on my mainframe level and vice versa, so I generally connect very easily. And though I had fun with these young-uns, I realized that I never want to have kids. Ever. No early AM feedings, diaper changes, arguments/tantrums, messes, etc. I just can't make a good argument for getting myself into that situation. And just as I was pleading this case to the wise Christian D. Orcutt (who is a drummer and a person you wouldn't expect wisdom from when he's sober), he reminded me that love has something to do with the reproducing equation. Which explains why I don't understand it at all.
Sigh.
PS - welcome to the new feature of the Mike Webb blog (which Mike Walls has to let me rename at some point - because no blogger names their blog after themselves - c'mon). Anyway - I just decided the song titles I use for each blog need something more to tie them into the actual posting. So I'm HOPING to end each blog with a song lyric to give even more insight to the words you're reading. With that.....
One day (one day) it's gonna get better some way (some way)
I wish it would get worse
Any way (any way) what can I lose,
It might turn into something better.
It gets harder and harder the harder I try
(Predictable)
Feels like a good time to die...
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0 comments
( 10:48 PM )
Get The Lead Out
I'm in the midst of watching the Yanks blow game 1 to the Twins, so I'm going to keep this short.
Like I said earlier, I'm trying to lay off the political stuff, but it's in my blood so I can't help it. And while the pious political pundits are making implausible pronouncements about who won the Veep debate (which I barely watched, but doubt I missed anything) and the Prez debates, I'm going to offer you the only thing that matters come Tuesday, November 2.
CBS News reports voter registration nationwide is up. The Washington Post reports voter registration has reached new heights in Maryland and Virginia. The New York Times (who I'm temporarily forgiving for all of their impressive voter disenfranchisement coverage) says new voters are up, up, up. And in Ohio (where I can't seem to find a source I want to use) newly registered Democrats outnumber new Republicans by a 10 to 1 margin.
What does all this mean? The winner of the presidential election will be the campaign that successfully gets their voters out - especially these new voters. And since there are literally millions of people out there who took the time to register to make their own little statement in November (or were forced to register by a friend or some kindly do-gooder), I think it's reasonable to assume these newly registered folks want to throw the bums out. So JFK mach II should stop dancing for the swing voters and start singing a song to remind these newly registered folks why they registered in the first place.
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0 comments
( 9:52 PM )
Sucker M.C.'s or I'd Love To Change The World
In the last week, I've received the "Help NPR" email 3 times. The first time I got it, I read it and shook my head because it came from a well meaning serial emailer who passes along every 'save the whales' email that comes their way. The other 2 were from good intentioned friends who thought they were doing something good. But they've all been had.
In a nutshell the email says Nina Totenberg of NPR reported that if the Supreme Court supports Congress it will end NPR & PBS and all you have to do is put your name at the end of this email petition, forward it and they'll pass it on to the President and VP.
According to Hoaxinfo.com and TruthorFiction.com it's a bogus email that dates back to 1995. Some college kids in Colorado started it and every few years it somehow gets revived. My first clue that it was bullshit was President Bush and Vice President Cheney didn't care about 15 million people protesting their war plans, so they could give a fuck about an email petition (let alone a real one). But I'm also old enough to know that doing something worthwhile is never as simple as typing your name on an email and forwarding it.
If you really want to get your Congressional representative to take you seriously, go to Congress.org, type in your zip code, put pen to paper (Congress people get flooded with email, so they don't pay close attention to them), and snail mail your thoughts. Or start pounding the pavement and pleading your case to anyone who will listen. But please stop sending emails like these because you're kidding yourself if you think you can make a difference by hitting the send button on your computer.
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