We're at T minus one week until the 2006 midterm elections. If everything pans out as being reported, then the Republicans will definitely lose the House and quite possibly the Senate. What exactly will happen? I can't say I really know for sure, but here is what I think:
Since the Republicans are expected to lose, I'm not sure they are in that bad of a position. If they end up losing the House, then the news coverage will reflect that everything panned out as it was expected to. I for one think it could be a very good thing for the Republicans to lose. It would give them a chance to start afresh in 2008. The Republicans in Congress have been a disappointment of epic proportions. Even my mom is disgusted, and when you have a solid Republican like her disgusted, then you know you're in bad shape.
It's really the Democrats that have the most to lose. What if they DON'T win the House? It's been practically pre-ordained that they are going to win back the House. Oh the finger-pointing that will take place if that doesn't happen. But you never know. Their whole campaign is basically based on "We're not the Republicans." That could put them over the top this time, but they are a party deeply divided, so once they get in, who knows what'll happen. I know polls have the Democrats leading, but polling data in 2002 and 2004 turned out to be less than reliable.
If the Democrats do take over, I hope they do a great job. I'm not a hyper-partisan in that I hope things go bad for them (as many of my fellow Republicans would indeed to). Republicans have done a horrible job and deserve to be out of power. I feel sorry for Nancy Pelosi, because she is going to get hammered as the new Speaker if the Democrats get in. She'll be under intense pressure to have hearing after hearing and go after everyone, maybe even begin impeachment proceedings. I doubt the intense partisanship ends if the Democrats take over, but if it did, and they were the reason, more power to them.
I think that the party that can redefine itself stands the best chance for victory in 2008. For the Republicans, that means showing a wee bit more concern about the environment, health care, the poor, and not giving every break conceivable to the corporations. Also, not using abortion and gay marriage as the measuring stick for whether or not someone is worthy to hold office. For the Democrats, they need to quit being so afraid to talk about God on the national stage. Recognize that sometimes, character does matter, and that there are a host of moral values that people actually do consider important. I know you try to be as inclusive as possible, but if you tick off a certain segment, then just live with it. If you are anti-war, then don't just say it, vote it too! I don't think anyone is unpatriotic for being against the war in Iraq. I have much more respect for someone that says "bring 'em all home" and votes that way, than for someone that says that in a speech but then votes the Bush line when it comes to crunch time.
My prediction? The Republicans maintain a very slight hold on the House and the Senate, which will make for an upcoming two of the nastiest years in recent political history. It could actually open the door for an independent candidate because the partisanship will reach an all-time low.
Monday, October 30, 2006
The Fitted Sheet Monopoly
This past weekend we spent a lot of time getting our house cleaned up so we can sell it. My parents came up for a few days and were a huge help. My mom is great at getting things truly clean. Our definition of clean is completely different. What we say is clean, my mom would say is dirty, and so forth.
She also organized our linen closet, with every towel and sheet folded perfectly . . .even the fitted sheets. Now my method of dealing with these are to crumple here, crumple there, and stuff in the closet. But that's not how it looked on this day. There lay our fitted sheets perfectly flat and square.
How could this be? She demonstrated and said that "Chaney Bergdall's wife" had shown her how to do this. Wow, flashback, flashback, flashback. I remember one day while I still attended Huntington College that Steve and I had lunch with the Bergdall's. He was a professor at the College. At Steve's request his wife came down the stairs with a fitted sheet to demonstrate. So, it appears she is the nation's sole expert in this task.
Now, the way she showed us, and the way my mom showed us, was to do a fold here, a fold there, and voila, a perfectly folded sheet. But, that's pretty much like my brother Stu explaining the "simple" steps to repair a transmission. Yeah, you can show it to me, but I'll never be able to do it.
So, at least for now, people looking to buy our house will see perfectly folded fitted sheets in our linen closet. But, we need to sell quickly. Once we have to wash the sheet currently on our bed, it's back to the "crumple" technique.
She also organized our linen closet, with every towel and sheet folded perfectly . . .even the fitted sheets. Now my method of dealing with these are to crumple here, crumple there, and stuff in the closet. But that's not how it looked on this day. There lay our fitted sheets perfectly flat and square.
How could this be? She demonstrated and said that "Chaney Bergdall's wife" had shown her how to do this. Wow, flashback, flashback, flashback. I remember one day while I still attended Huntington College that Steve and I had lunch with the Bergdall's. He was a professor at the College. At Steve's request his wife came down the stairs with a fitted sheet to demonstrate. So, it appears she is the nation's sole expert in this task.
Now, the way she showed us, and the way my mom showed us, was to do a fold here, a fold there, and voila, a perfectly folded sheet. But, that's pretty much like my brother Stu explaining the "simple" steps to repair a transmission. Yeah, you can show it to me, but I'll never be able to do it.
So, at least for now, people looking to buy our house will see perfectly folded fitted sheets in our linen closet. But, we need to sell quickly. Once we have to wash the sheet currently on our bed, it's back to the "crumple" technique.
Tuesday, October 24, 2006
House for Sale!
It's now official. The realtor came to our house yesterday and posted a "for sale" sign in our yard. Now, we have to get the thing ready to show. My oh my, I haven't ever sold a house before. There's a lot to do. My parents will be coming up this week to help us get ready, and we're very glad to have their help because there is so much we have to get done. We purposely had the realtor push things along so as to push us along. It's like I'm writing a paper and it's due this week and I haven't started the research (not to worry, I always got an A or B on those assignments).
My wife had mixed feelings about having a sign up in our yard. She really wanted to sell it through a classified ad or word of mouth. You see, we have a very grumpy old neighbor. She didn't want to give him the satisfaction of seeing a "for sale" sign in our yard. Dorene would have rather sold for less to prevent that from happening. But, I had to tell her that we simply couldn't sell our house for less purely out of spite (as much fun as that would be).
So, our neighbor will be greeted with a glorious sight this morning when he steps outside and sees the sign in our yard. So, now all we can hope for is a family to move in with 8 kids and 5 dogs who care absolutely nothing about mowing the yard.
My wife had mixed feelings about having a sign up in our yard. She really wanted to sell it through a classified ad or word of mouth. You see, we have a very grumpy old neighbor. She didn't want to give him the satisfaction of seeing a "for sale" sign in our yard. Dorene would have rather sold for less to prevent that from happening. But, I had to tell her that we simply couldn't sell our house for less purely out of spite (as much fun as that would be).
So, our neighbor will be greeted with a glorious sight this morning when he steps outside and sees the sign in our yard. So, now all we can hope for is a family to move in with 8 kids and 5 dogs who care absolutely nothing about mowing the yard.
Wednesday, October 18, 2006
Painting the Dennie Way (or at least this particular Dennie)
We are in the process of fixing up our house as we are looking at moving in the near future. Part of the fix-up includes doing some painting, which I totally dislike doing with a passion. It is very time consuming and especially when it comes to doing the trim, it takes forever. Then comes the clean-up. I think it takes longer to clean the rollers and brushes than it does to do the actual painting.
Now my dad, he can paint a room in about 5 minutes. He can do the trim without putting up any tape and still come to the edges perfectly. When it comes to clean-up, the rollers and brushes basically look like you just brought them home from the store when he's done.
So, I have come up with a new solution to the clean-up issue. We now go to "Big Lots" and get a pack of 2 rollers for only 89 cents. We also pick up paint roller trays for only 79 cents each. So, when it comes to clean-up, we just simply throw the roller and tray away and there you go, clean-up completed in less than 30 seconds. The next time we paint, we just open up a new roller and get out a new paint tray (so yes, we buy about a half-dozen at a time).
I'm sure my dad would not subscribe to this clean-up procedure, although my brother Steve would probably encourage me to patent it because I know he'd think it's a good idea.
Now my dad, he can paint a room in about 5 minutes. He can do the trim without putting up any tape and still come to the edges perfectly. When it comes to clean-up, the rollers and brushes basically look like you just brought them home from the store when he's done.
So, I have come up with a new solution to the clean-up issue. We now go to "Big Lots" and get a pack of 2 rollers for only 89 cents. We also pick up paint roller trays for only 79 cents each. So, when it comes to clean-up, we just simply throw the roller and tray away and there you go, clean-up completed in less than 30 seconds. The next time we paint, we just open up a new roller and get out a new paint tray (so yes, we buy about a half-dozen at a time).
I'm sure my dad would not subscribe to this clean-up procedure, although my brother Steve would probably encourage me to patent it because I know he'd think it's a good idea.
Tuesday, October 17, 2006
It's Not Easy Being a Cardinal's Fan . . .It Really Isn't!
Wow, the Cardinals really blew it last night. I've been a fan of theirs since I was a season ticket holder during their first season in Phoenix in 1988. It's been almost 20 years of futility.
Last night was a chance for them to really take it to the next level, and for about 3 1/2 quarters, they did. The undefeated Bears didn't look all that good, and in fact, they weren't. Their offense sputtered all night. But when your defense and special teams can score 3 touchdowns, well, you don't need much more than that.
There was a bright spot in that Matt Leinart did very well and it looks like he has the poise to be an NFL star. But, we Cardinals fans have gone through this before. The last time was when we got Jake Plummer. He took the Cardinals to the playoffs, but as soon as his contract expired, he bolted to the Broncos, where he is doing very well. Hopefully, the Cardinals owners (probably the worst in the NFL) will do what it takes to keep Leinart around. We'll see.
But for now, another season down the drain as they are at 1-5. Yes, they have lost 3 games by very narrow margins. Yes, they could easily be 4-2. But, we have gone through this many times. If ever there was a snakebit organization, it is this one. Once again, it's wait until next year. If Leinart continues to have a good year, then next year truly could be special, and there's always a chance they could click and make a big run this year to the playoffs, but they'd have to pretty much win 9 of their last 10 games.
Anyway, the Suns open their season soon.
Last night was a chance for them to really take it to the next level, and for about 3 1/2 quarters, they did. The undefeated Bears didn't look all that good, and in fact, they weren't. Their offense sputtered all night. But when your defense and special teams can score 3 touchdowns, well, you don't need much more than that.
There was a bright spot in that Matt Leinart did very well and it looks like he has the poise to be an NFL star. But, we Cardinals fans have gone through this before. The last time was when we got Jake Plummer. He took the Cardinals to the playoffs, but as soon as his contract expired, he bolted to the Broncos, where he is doing very well. Hopefully, the Cardinals owners (probably the worst in the NFL) will do what it takes to keep Leinart around. We'll see.
But for now, another season down the drain as they are at 1-5. Yes, they have lost 3 games by very narrow margins. Yes, they could easily be 4-2. But, we have gone through this many times. If ever there was a snakebit organization, it is this one. Once again, it's wait until next year. If Leinart continues to have a good year, then next year truly could be special, and there's always a chance they could click and make a big run this year to the playoffs, but they'd have to pretty much win 9 of their last 10 games.
Anyway, the Suns open their season soon.
Monday, October 16, 2006
Sports Roundup
Baseball Playoffs
The Tigers are in. I watched their game 4 victory and it was pretty exciting. I will likely be rooting for them in the World Series. They are probably the best story of this post-season since just 3 years ago they lost about 119 games.
I hope the Mets beat the Cardinals, because I've never cared for the Cardinals. I'm not really sure why, I just don't like them. Can't help it.
The Other Cardinals
The Arizona Cardinals, my team, supposedly has a home game tonight against the Bears. Well, I tell you what, I once attended a "home game" in Phoenix when they played the Bears and I felt like I was in the minority. It was Soldier Field West, because you have so many transplants from the midwest leaving out in the desert. So, expect a lot of cheering tonight when the visitors score.
Coach Dennis Green finally went with Matt Leinart and he hasn't done too bad so far. He could definitely be the future for this organization. Or that is, the latest incarnation of the future for this organization, which has one all of one playoff game in the last 40-50 years.
Hank Williams, Jr. v. Pink
I like Pink's intro to Sunday Night Football. Obviously trying to mimic Hank Williams, Jr. who set the standard for football mania. It's pretty catchy.
NHL Hockey
Just kidding, I could care less about hockey.
The Tigers are in. I watched their game 4 victory and it was pretty exciting. I will likely be rooting for them in the World Series. They are probably the best story of this post-season since just 3 years ago they lost about 119 games.
I hope the Mets beat the Cardinals, because I've never cared for the Cardinals. I'm not really sure why, I just don't like them. Can't help it.
The Other Cardinals
The Arizona Cardinals, my team, supposedly has a home game tonight against the Bears. Well, I tell you what, I once attended a "home game" in Phoenix when they played the Bears and I felt like I was in the minority. It was Soldier Field West, because you have so many transplants from the midwest leaving out in the desert. So, expect a lot of cheering tonight when the visitors score.
Coach Dennis Green finally went with Matt Leinart and he hasn't done too bad so far. He could definitely be the future for this organization. Or that is, the latest incarnation of the future for this organization, which has one all of one playoff game in the last 40-50 years.
Hank Williams, Jr. v. Pink
I like Pink's intro to Sunday Night Football. Obviously trying to mimic Hank Williams, Jr. who set the standard for football mania. It's pretty catchy.
NHL Hockey
Just kidding, I could care less about hockey.
Friday, October 13, 2006
Something That Won't Ever Get Old
I love my job and I love my family even more. Every day, the transition between the two is typically the highlight of my day.
When I walk in the door, a flurry of activity happens. Anna comes running up to me yelling "DADDY" and gives me a big hug. Right behind her is Cameron, who does the same (usually wielding one of his toy guns or swords). Then comes Daphne the Dog, who jumps up and down wildly, like she hasn't seen me in a week. Somewhere in the midst is Dorene, who doesn't jump up and down but is always of course glad to see me come home. Then there's Gracie the Cat. She just sort of raises her head and looks at me as if to say, "Yeah, who made YOU king?" then goes back to sleep.
No matter how my day went, good or bad, it's always so comforting to have such a home life to return to. That greeting I get as I come in the door will never grow old and I hope I'm always the dad and husband (and even pet owner) whose arrival is always delightfully anticipated.
When I walk in the door, a flurry of activity happens. Anna comes running up to me yelling "DADDY" and gives me a big hug. Right behind her is Cameron, who does the same (usually wielding one of his toy guns or swords). Then comes Daphne the Dog, who jumps up and down wildly, like she hasn't seen me in a week. Somewhere in the midst is Dorene, who doesn't jump up and down but is always of course glad to see me come home. Then there's Gracie the Cat. She just sort of raises her head and looks at me as if to say, "Yeah, who made YOU king?" then goes back to sleep.
No matter how my day went, good or bad, it's always so comforting to have such a home life to return to. That greeting I get as I come in the door will never grow old and I hope I'm always the dad and husband (and even pet owner) whose arrival is always delightfully anticipated.
Thursday, October 12, 2006
The Return of Bob Seger
One of my all time favorite artists is back with his first new CD in about 10 years. I just love Seger's music and I've listened to him longer than any other artist. Nothing fancy about his music, just, as his signature tune says, good "old time rock and roll." No angst-driven songs, just fun music.
Growing up, Seger was the perfect music to listen to while driving around in a pick-up truck. Of course, I drove a Toyota Tercel, so maybe the effect wasn't quite the same. His two live CD's, "Nine Tonight" and "Live Bullet" are two of the best crank it up rock CD's ever. I would love to have seen him in concert during his heyday (something I'm jealous of my sister-in-law because she did get to see him back in the 70's).
His new CD has several good songs,plus a duet with Kid Rock, which I really like. Kid Rock's music contains a lot of Segeresque type songs, and his "Live Trucker" CD cover is a direct homage to the "Live Bullet" CD. Although I liked Kid Rock's CD, there were a few too many instances where he used words that rhymed with "trucker" (if you know what I mean). Speaking of Kid Rock, did you see him on Country Music Television performing with Hank Williams, Jr? That was really good!
Thank you Bob Seger for coming back. You've been missed.
Growing up, Seger was the perfect music to listen to while driving around in a pick-up truck. Of course, I drove a Toyota Tercel, so maybe the effect wasn't quite the same. His two live CD's, "Nine Tonight" and "Live Bullet" are two of the best crank it up rock CD's ever. I would love to have seen him in concert during his heyday (something I'm jealous of my sister-in-law because she did get to see him back in the 70's).
His new CD has several good songs,plus a duet with Kid Rock, which I really like. Kid Rock's music contains a lot of Segeresque type songs, and his "Live Trucker" CD cover is a direct homage to the "Live Bullet" CD. Although I liked Kid Rock's CD, there were a few too many instances where he used words that rhymed with "trucker" (if you know what I mean). Speaking of Kid Rock, did you see him on Country Music Television performing with Hank Williams, Jr? That was really good!
Thank you Bob Seger for coming back. You've been missed.
Tuesday, October 10, 2006
We Were Actually Missed
Today in the mail I received a copy of the "homework" for next week's Sunday School lesson. The note simply said "we missed you" and gave us the study questions over the passage in Ephesians we'd be studying.
We attend a small Wesleyan church of about 90. Prior to that, we kept finding ourselves stuck in mega-churches of several hundred and a couple times in churches of about 200-300.
This is the first time in 11 years that we have ever received any kind of note, call, etc. that our presence on Sunday morning was missed.
And we wonder why our true desire was to be in a small church all this time . . .
We attend a small Wesleyan church of about 90. Prior to that, we kept finding ourselves stuck in mega-churches of several hundred and a couple times in churches of about 200-300.
This is the first time in 11 years that we have ever received any kind of note, call, etc. that our presence on Sunday morning was missed.
And we wonder why our true desire was to be in a small church all this time . . .
Monday, October 09, 2006
The All-American Yard Sale
This past weekend, we participated in that very American institution, the yard sale. We are planning on moving out of South Bend in the near future, so it was time to unload a bunch of stuff (i.e. junk). That, we did by the boatloads.
I'm not sure why, but we had a non-stop stream of traffic into our little subdivision from 7:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. We really didn't expect to do much business, but we did. Got rid of a lot of kids toys, some furniture, and clothes, clothes, clothes.We had sent the kids out to grandma's house because there would have been too much drama when they saw we were selling one of their toys that they played with once in the last.
As the day went on, I kept going in the house and bringing out what I thought was true 100% crap, and it immediately sold. Wow, never underestimate the garage sale crowd.Meanwhile, my wife, much more bold than I am, told everyone that came that our house was for sale, too. Me, I might have mentioned it once, but Dorene was in full-scale salesman mode. Sure enough, a few people even said they were interested and she took them back in the yard and even into the house (even though it was a disaster).
If we sell our house due to having a yard sale, then both Dorene and Cameron are to thank. Cameron had told us we should sell our house at the yard sale. We both thought, hmm, that's not a bad idea. I know the housing market it down right now, but hey, someone out there is still wanting to buy a house, so why not us be that someone that sells to them?
I'm not sure why, but we had a non-stop stream of traffic into our little subdivision from 7:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. We really didn't expect to do much business, but we did. Got rid of a lot of kids toys, some furniture, and clothes, clothes, clothes.We had sent the kids out to grandma's house because there would have been too much drama when they saw we were selling one of their toys that they played with once in the last.
As the day went on, I kept going in the house and bringing out what I thought was true 100% crap, and it immediately sold. Wow, never underestimate the garage sale crowd.Meanwhile, my wife, much more bold than I am, told everyone that came that our house was for sale, too. Me, I might have mentioned it once, but Dorene was in full-scale salesman mode. Sure enough, a few people even said they were interested and she took them back in the yard and even into the house (even though it was a disaster).
If we sell our house due to having a yard sale, then both Dorene and Cameron are to thank. Cameron had told us we should sell our house at the yard sale. We both thought, hmm, that's not a bad idea. I know the housing market it down right now, but hey, someone out there is still wanting to buy a house, so why not us be that someone that sells to them?
Tuesday, October 03, 2006
Fox turns 10
This week is the 10th anniversary of Fox News, an event which for many is probably a sign of the end times. One thing for sure, Fox has definitely made its mark, whether it's a positive one or not, really depends on who you talk to.
The biggest complaint about Fox is that they are not "fair and balanced" like they promote but instead lean very much to the right and are a mouthpiece for anything Republican. Well, la de frickin' da! No kidding! Y'all just now figuring that out?
What is wrong with that exactly? Sorry, but I can't make excuses for people not smart enough to figure things out on their own. If they take everything they hear from the television media as the end all truth, then that's their problem.
Click over to CNN. Larry King is very much liberal (although this came through much more on his radio show). Click over to MSNBC. Keith Olberman pretty much has a daily rant against Bush and Bill O'Reilly. Of course, what does O'Reilly care since his show kick's Olberman's butt on a daily basis. Click over to HBO and Bill Maher. Enough said . . .and that is all just fine.
Go back in time. Remember when Dan Rather went after Bush I about Iran-Contra? Was that a "liberal" hit job? No, it was a very legitimate question, even though Rather has never exactly hidden his liberal leanings. Was it biased when Edward R. Murrow used his show to go after Sen. McCarthy? Absolutely.
Yeah, so Fox is going to present a more partisan view. So what. You always have the option of switching channels. Will Fox ever change? No way. Their ratings double that of CNN and triple that of MSNBC. That really is the bottom line. If people stop watching, they'll have to change their format. If people don't want to hear Rush Limbaugh anymore, he'll go off the air. There is liberal talk radio
out there, called "Air America" and it has some pretty good stuff on it. Problem is, you typically can only find it on some alternative Mongolian bluegrass station out of Butte, Montana.
Just don't watch it people! Ah, this is where it gets a little humorous. Some of my Democrat co-workers were talking about how much they hate Fox. They especially hate Bill O'Reilly. One said, "Yeah, just the other night, he was talking about . . ." Stop right there! So, what you are saying is that you hate the guy, but you still watch? That was indeed the case. Fox's ratings are huge, and I'm sure that a great deal of that comes from those that "hate" them. So, for all of you out there that wish Fox would go away because you don't like watching them, you are the ones that are keeping them going. You just can't stay away.
Personally, I don't watch Fox all that much. I mainly just don't like the personalities very well. O'Reilly just isn't that interesting to me. Hannity and Colmes used to be good, but it seems like every time you turn them on they have Ann Coulter or Dick Morris as guests. I channel surf the news, checking out just about every station. But for those that like to just watch Fox 24/7, more power to them, it's their choice.
The biggest complaint about Fox is that they are not "fair and balanced" like they promote but instead lean very much to the right and are a mouthpiece for anything Republican. Well, la de frickin' da! No kidding! Y'all just now figuring that out?
What is wrong with that exactly? Sorry, but I can't make excuses for people not smart enough to figure things out on their own. If they take everything they hear from the television media as the end all truth, then that's their problem.
Click over to CNN. Larry King is very much liberal (although this came through much more on his radio show). Click over to MSNBC. Keith Olberman pretty much has a daily rant against Bush and Bill O'Reilly. Of course, what does O'Reilly care since his show kick's Olberman's butt on a daily basis. Click over to HBO and Bill Maher. Enough said . . .and that is all just fine.
Go back in time. Remember when Dan Rather went after Bush I about Iran-Contra? Was that a "liberal" hit job? No, it was a very legitimate question, even though Rather has never exactly hidden his liberal leanings. Was it biased when Edward R. Murrow used his show to go after Sen. McCarthy? Absolutely.
Yeah, so Fox is going to present a more partisan view. So what. You always have the option of switching channels. Will Fox ever change? No way. Their ratings double that of CNN and triple that of MSNBC. That really is the bottom line. If people stop watching, they'll have to change their format. If people don't want to hear Rush Limbaugh anymore, he'll go off the air. There is liberal talk radio
out there, called "Air America" and it has some pretty good stuff on it. Problem is, you typically can only find it on some alternative Mongolian bluegrass station out of Butte, Montana.
Just don't watch it people! Ah, this is where it gets a little humorous. Some of my Democrat co-workers were talking about how much they hate Fox. They especially hate Bill O'Reilly. One said, "Yeah, just the other night, he was talking about . . ." Stop right there! So, what you are saying is that you hate the guy, but you still watch? That was indeed the case. Fox's ratings are huge, and I'm sure that a great deal of that comes from those that "hate" them. So, for all of you out there that wish Fox would go away because you don't like watching them, you are the ones that are keeping them going. You just can't stay away.
Personally, I don't watch Fox all that much. I mainly just don't like the personalities very well. O'Reilly just isn't that interesting to me. Hannity and Colmes used to be good, but it seems like every time you turn them on they have Ann Coulter or Dick Morris as guests. I channel surf the news, checking out just about every station. But for those that like to just watch Fox 24/7, more power to them, it's their choice.
Monday, October 02, 2006
World Series Predictions
I predict that I don't really care who wins this year. In the American League you got the A's, Yankees, Tigers and Twins. In the National League you got the Cardinals, Dodgers, Padres and Mets.
I guess the best story would be New York v. New York, although that happened back in 2000 and it was a pretty boring series. San Diego v. Minnesota would probably be the lowest watched Series in history.
No, it doesn't matter how you slice it, there is no compelling story this year. The last two years you had the Sox teams ending nearly 100 years of futility. This year, I guess the Padres could finally win a World Series for the first time in their history. I think they began sometime in the 60's. So, yeah, Go Padres (I guess).
I guess the best story would be New York v. New York, although that happened back in 2000 and it was a pretty boring series. San Diego v. Minnesota would probably be the lowest watched Series in history.
No, it doesn't matter how you slice it, there is no compelling story this year. The last two years you had the Sox teams ending nearly 100 years of futility. This year, I guess the Padres could finally win a World Series for the first time in their history. I think they began sometime in the 60's. So, yeah, Go Padres (I guess).
Thursday, September 28, 2006
Sean Penn and a Donkey
The new Sean Penn movie, "All the King's Men," opened this past weekend. It was an early Oscar contender and Penn himself was seen as an early candidate for Best Actor. This was one of those period pieces that Oscar loves, with a flamboyant performance at the center.
As it turns out, the movie only made half of what it was expected to. The number one movie over the weekend? "Jackass, Number Two."
Insert your own "sad-commentary-on-the-state-of-America-when-a-movie-filled-with-hits-to-the-groin-outgrosses-a-serious-adult-intellectual-period-piece" comment here.
I personally like Sean Penn. Check out "Bad Boys," a very underrated prison flick from the early 80's(not the Will Smith/Martin Lawrence movie and featuring one of the all time great payback scenes, featuring a pillowcase and some cans of pop). He just needs to not take himself so darn seriously all the time. He should go on SNL and resurrect Spicoli. It would probably be the biggest sustained applause of all time for the show if he appeared as that character.
As it turns out, the movie only made half of what it was expected to. The number one movie over the weekend? "Jackass, Number Two."
Insert your own "sad-commentary-on-the-state-of-America-when-a-movie-filled-with-hits-to-the-groin-outgrosses-a-serious-adult-intellectual-period-piece" comment here.
I personally like Sean Penn. Check out "Bad Boys," a very underrated prison flick from the early 80's(not the Will Smith/Martin Lawrence movie and featuring one of the all time great payback scenes, featuring a pillowcase and some cans of pop). He just needs to not take himself so darn seriously all the time. He should go on SNL and resurrect Spicoli. It would probably be the biggest sustained applause of all time for the show if he appeared as that character.
Tuesday, September 26, 2006
Another Losing Season for the Cards . . .Maybe
Once again, the Arizona Cardinals were the subject of all kinds of pre-season speculation that this could be the year they broke through. A new stadium, the signing of Edgerrin James. Everything seemed to be falling in place.
They started 1-1 and this past Sunday they hosted the Rams. They were losing 16-14 and the Rams just had to run out the clock. But, they fumbled at their own 30, giving the Cards a golden opportunity . . .which quarterback Kurt Warner (hmm, a former Ram's quarterback) fumbled away a couple plays later. So, now they are at 1-2, needing to do something to get back on track.
The answer? Get Matt Leinart in there now. So what if he's just out of college and hasn't taken a snap yet in the pros. He won the Heismann and won two national titles for USC. Let's give him a shot now and see if he turns out to be one of those Heismann winners that makes the transition well or goes the way of so many others before him.
They started 1-1 and this past Sunday they hosted the Rams. They were losing 16-14 and the Rams just had to run out the clock. But, they fumbled at their own 30, giving the Cards a golden opportunity . . .which quarterback Kurt Warner (hmm, a former Ram's quarterback) fumbled away a couple plays later. So, now they are at 1-2, needing to do something to get back on track.
The answer? Get Matt Leinart in there now. So what if he's just out of college and hasn't taken a snap yet in the pros. He won the Heismann and won two national titles for USC. Let's give him a shot now and see if he turns out to be one of those Heismann winners that makes the transition well or goes the way of so many others before him.
Monday, September 25, 2006
Hmm, Someone's Worried about their Legacy.
Wow, did you see Bill Clinton go off on Chris Wallace on Sunday? Chris asked the simple question of did he do enough to catch Bin Laden. Clinton just went off, pointing his finger, reaching over and tapping on his notes, getting almost right in his face. Then, things got really strange as he launched into how this question and whole interview was some sort of conservative hit job and how Chris Wallace was doing the bidding of Fox News. Talked about how Wallace had this smirk on his face. Man, he was really upset.
Yo, Bill, it was a very legitimate question. You might want to stay out of the kitchen if you can't take that kind of heat. I also thought it strange that Clinton based his entire 8 years of combating terrorism solely on Richard Clarke's book. I don't know how many times he said, "Just read Clarke's book, it's all there." It was like watching a celebrity on Leno hawk his new movie.
He somewhat indicted himself when he said, "I tried 8 years and failed; they (Bush) had 8 months and couldn't do it." So, what you are saying is that Bush should have done in 8 months what you couldn't do in 8 years?
I've always felt, and the 9/11 Commission concurs, that there was plenty of blame to go around. Hindsight is so 20/20. Blame Bush I, blame Clinton, blame Bush II. Fact is, we just didn't think something like this would ever happen. We'll see if we learned or not. Some say we're safer, some say we're not, there's more terrorists now, there's less terrorists, yada yada yada.
Why did this get Clinton so riled? Does he truly believe all this right-wing conspiracy stuff that Hillary also liked to spout? It was strange seeing him reduced to a liberal version of Rush Limbaugh as he talked about how all the conservatives are out to get him. Sounds to me like someone is very worried about his legacy getting tarnished. If he truly didn't do enough and is feeling guilty about it, then an interview on Fox News should be the least of his worries.
Yo, Bill, it was a very legitimate question. You might want to stay out of the kitchen if you can't take that kind of heat. I also thought it strange that Clinton based his entire 8 years of combating terrorism solely on Richard Clarke's book. I don't know how many times he said, "Just read Clarke's book, it's all there." It was like watching a celebrity on Leno hawk his new movie.
He somewhat indicted himself when he said, "I tried 8 years and failed; they (Bush) had 8 months and couldn't do it." So, what you are saying is that Bush should have done in 8 months what you couldn't do in 8 years?
I've always felt, and the 9/11 Commission concurs, that there was plenty of blame to go around. Hindsight is so 20/20. Blame Bush I, blame Clinton, blame Bush II. Fact is, we just didn't think something like this would ever happen. We'll see if we learned or not. Some say we're safer, some say we're not, there's more terrorists now, there's less terrorists, yada yada yada.
Why did this get Clinton so riled? Does he truly believe all this right-wing conspiracy stuff that Hillary also liked to spout? It was strange seeing him reduced to a liberal version of Rush Limbaugh as he talked about how all the conservatives are out to get him. Sounds to me like someone is very worried about his legacy getting tarnished. If he truly didn't do enough and is feeling guilty about it, then an interview on Fox News should be the least of his worries.
Friday, September 22, 2006
Student beats the Teacher
Last night at the South Bend Table Tennis Club, a torch was passed. A.J. Brewer is the top rated 13-year old in the nation. He has been playing table tennis for years under the tutelage of Dan Seemiller, himself a former champion on the national and world stage.
A week earlier, Dan had told us that A.J. was training in China with some of the world's best. He indicated that when he gets back, he may have a hard time beating him. "I don't know if I'm ready to lose to a 13-year old, but that's how it is."
Well, last night was the first time A.J. ever beat his coach in match play. Although others were playing that night, all eyes fell on this contest to see if pupil would finally overtake his teacher. Dan is still nationally ranked at 24, so he's no slouch, even at age 52. He didn't exactly go lightly on A.J. It was obvious he wanted to win and played each point like he meant it. But on this night, A.J.'s youth and dedication won out.
The last time Dan lost to a youngster was to Mark Hazinski. Mark was also coached by Dan and he played on the 2004 Olympic team. So don't be surprised if by 2012, you'll see another Olympian from the South Bend Table Tennis Club.
Now, if Dan could just help me in returning those heavy spin serves . . .
A week earlier, Dan had told us that A.J. was training in China with some of the world's best. He indicated that when he gets back, he may have a hard time beating him. "I don't know if I'm ready to lose to a 13-year old, but that's how it is."
Well, last night was the first time A.J. ever beat his coach in match play. Although others were playing that night, all eyes fell on this contest to see if pupil would finally overtake his teacher. Dan is still nationally ranked at 24, so he's no slouch, even at age 52. He didn't exactly go lightly on A.J. It was obvious he wanted to win and played each point like he meant it. But on this night, A.J.'s youth and dedication won out.
The last time Dan lost to a youngster was to Mark Hazinski. Mark was also coached by Dan and he played on the 2004 Olympic team. So don't be surprised if by 2012, you'll see another Olympian from the South Bend Table Tennis Club.
Now, if Dan could just help me in returning those heavy spin serves . . .
Thursday, September 21, 2006
The Saints Come Marching Back
There is a lot of hype over the New Orleans Saints' return to the Superdome on Monday night. They are undefeated, and the whole city waits in anticipation of this game, which will signal a rebirth of the city.
But does everyone see it that way? Do those that left after Katrina and never came back really care that much about this team? Our Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs grew up in New Orleans and he said his parents vowed to never, ever go back. Do those that are still waiting for FEMA money to rebuild their houses really care if the Saints win on Monday night? Maybe they wish some of the $185 million spent on repairing the Superdome had come their way.
A moment to watch on Monday night. The coin toss will be from George Bush, Sr. I wonder what the reaction will be and if fans will take out some of their frustration with W on his father. But then again, seeing how history illiterate many people are, maybe lots of people will hear the name George Bush and just assume it's W.
But does everyone see it that way? Do those that left after Katrina and never came back really care that much about this team? Our Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs grew up in New Orleans and he said his parents vowed to never, ever go back. Do those that are still waiting for FEMA money to rebuild their houses really care if the Saints win on Monday night? Maybe they wish some of the $185 million spent on repairing the Superdome had come their way.
A moment to watch on Monday night. The coin toss will be from George Bush, Sr. I wonder what the reaction will be and if fans will take out some of their frustration with W on his father. But then again, seeing how history illiterate many people are, maybe lots of people will hear the name George Bush and just assume it's W.
Tuesday, September 19, 2006
20 Seconds of Fame
As I began to leave the stadium after the conclusion of the Notre Dame v. Michigan game this past Saturday, I looked down and saw this woman running at full speed toward the tunnel, evidently chasing down a player. I thought, that sure looks like someone I know. Sure enough, it was Michelle, one of our former student workers at IU South Bend who has been interning with NBC Sports. She gets to roam the sidelines and hopes to someday be a sideline reporter. On this day, she was chasing down one of the Michigan players for an interview.
Michelle attends IU Bloomington now. I e-mailed her and asked her if she did indeed catch up to the player to pull him back for an interview. She said she did, although she said players were running everywhere and she was just praying that she didn't get run over. Her mom, who works here at IU South Bend, said that there was about 20 seconds on the NBC coverage where you could see Michelle running after the player.
By the way, Michelle is a big Steelers fan and she (and her mom) severely taunted me when they beat the Colts. I told her that I hope someday she ends up interning with the Colts and has to chase down Peyton Manning for an interview after they beat the Steelers.
Meanwhile, at Notre Dame stadium, I had my own "Rudy" moment. "Hey, I know her, that's Michelle! She's so little!"
Michelle attends IU Bloomington now. I e-mailed her and asked her if she did indeed catch up to the player to pull him back for an interview. She said she did, although she said players were running everywhere and she was just praying that she didn't get run over. Her mom, who works here at IU South Bend, said that there was about 20 seconds on the NBC coverage where you could see Michelle running after the player.
By the way, Michelle is a big Steelers fan and she (and her mom) severely taunted me when they beat the Colts. I told her that I hope someday she ends up interning with the Colts and has to chase down Peyton Manning for an interview after they beat the Steelers.
Meanwhile, at Notre Dame stadium, I had my own "Rudy" moment. "Hey, I know her, that's Michelle! She's so little!"
Monday, September 18, 2006
Massacre at Notre Dame
In what has become a yearly event now, I get to take in a Notre Dame home football game once a year thanks to my former roommate Peter, a high school counselor in nearby Goshen, Indiana. This year, I was surprised when he asked me to go the Michigan game, which was already being built up as the game of the year. Notre Dame was ranked #2 and Michigan #11. These two teams have quite the history between them and not a whole lot of love to spread around either. Tickets on the street were going for $250.00 and sometimes more. In retrospect, Michigan fans who bought overpriced tickets got their money's worth. Notre Dame fans who did the same are wishing they had stayed home and mowed the lawn.
As with any Notre Dame home game, part of the excitement is just getting to the stadium. We parked at a shopping center lot a couple miles away and made the walk in (parking a couple miles away gives you free parking; parking closer to the stadium ranges from $20.00 - $40.00).
As you make your way to the stadium, you pass through "party row." Tailgaters all over the place and beer absolutely flowing like Niagra Falls. If you saw someone with a Pepsi can, they looked out of place. But there is quite the buzz level with so much activity going on outside the stadium. You also had some of your more creative vendors selling t-shirts not fit for family viewing (the nicest ones said "Muck Fichigan").
We hung around outside and watched the band march in. Hundreds of fans line the path leading to the stadium to watch them come in. We finally made our way to our seats and settled down for the game. This was quite possibly to be the year that Notre Dame would once again rise to the top and win the national championship. Quarterback Brady Quinn was also an early favorite for the Heisman Trophy. The crowd was absolutely pumped up leading up to kickoff. Then, an unfortunate thing happened. The game began.
At the forty second mark, Brady Quinn threw an interception that was returned for a touchdown. That set the tone. Brady's Heisman and Notre Dame's national title hopes were gone before people settled in to their seats. By the time it was over, Notre Dame had lost 47-21. That just doesn't happen in their home stadium and certainly wasn't supposed to happen this year.
Not a pleasant day for Notre Dame fans. One of the fans sitting behind us summed up the day nicely for the home crowd: "That was a big pile of suck."
As with any Notre Dame home game, part of the excitement is just getting to the stadium. We parked at a shopping center lot a couple miles away and made the walk in (parking a couple miles away gives you free parking; parking closer to the stadium ranges from $20.00 - $40.00).
As you make your way to the stadium, you pass through "party row." Tailgaters all over the place and beer absolutely flowing like Niagra Falls. If you saw someone with a Pepsi can, they looked out of place. But there is quite the buzz level with so much activity going on outside the stadium. You also had some of your more creative vendors selling t-shirts not fit for family viewing (the nicest ones said "Muck Fichigan").
We hung around outside and watched the band march in. Hundreds of fans line the path leading to the stadium to watch them come in. We finally made our way to our seats and settled down for the game. This was quite possibly to be the year that Notre Dame would once again rise to the top and win the national championship. Quarterback Brady Quinn was also an early favorite for the Heisman Trophy. The crowd was absolutely pumped up leading up to kickoff. Then, an unfortunate thing happened. The game began.
At the forty second mark, Brady Quinn threw an interception that was returned for a touchdown. That set the tone. Brady's Heisman and Notre Dame's national title hopes were gone before people settled in to their seats. By the time it was over, Notre Dame had lost 47-21. That just doesn't happen in their home stadium and certainly wasn't supposed to happen this year.
Not a pleasant day for Notre Dame fans. One of the fans sitting behind us summed up the day nicely for the home crowd: "That was a big pile of suck."
Wednesday, September 13, 2006
Missing the Point in a Big Way
We attend a church of about 90. It's a Wesleyan church in South Bend right across the street from a very large church. But, we absolutely love it. It's the size we have been looking for, especially after spending too much time in borderline mega-churches.
Our kids love it too. There may be only 4 or 5 kids in their Sunday School class, but they don't mind it one bit. Lately, some friends of ours started coming. Marcie comes and brings her two daughters, Tatum and Caylin. They love it too. They had been attending a church but Marcie was disappointed at their lack of attention to kids programs. She brought this to the attention of the pastor and I thought his response was absolutely stunning.
He indicated that, yes, they used to have a kids program before, but it just turned out to be a babysitting club. They decided they would go after the parents first and then bring the kids in. Wow, what a backwards way of thinking. First of all, it's not babysitting if you are teaching unsaved kids about God. Of course, if all you are doing is just babysitting, then that's your own fault. Secondly, I don't know of any kids or youth program anywhere that doesn't have a great deal of kids whose parents do not attend that church. Kids and youth programs can be huge outreach ministries, and its through the kids that you can reach the parents. Sometimes vice versa, but not always.
In the church I grew up in, we had a fabulous Wednesday night program. But I'd say about 95% of the kids that came did not have parents that attended our church regularly (and that number may be conservative). But that didn't matter. We had the kids there, and we reached out to them in a big way. The church my brother attends in Fort Wayne does a huge outreach to youth in the area and probably 99.99% of those kids do not have parents that attend there. Imagine if their leadership decided that they didn't want to just "babysit" anymore? That would never happen but it just outlines how this other church in South Bend totally missed the point.
How sad that a church is basically writing off such a vital ministry. By the way, how did Marcie get interested in coming to our church? Our dinky little church put on a fabulous Vacation Bible School that her kids still talk about and that really impressed Marcie. She was surprised just how much the church cared about the kids. I'm so glad I attend a church that does indeed care about the little ones.
Our kids love it too. There may be only 4 or 5 kids in their Sunday School class, but they don't mind it one bit. Lately, some friends of ours started coming. Marcie comes and brings her two daughters, Tatum and Caylin. They love it too. They had been attending a church but Marcie was disappointed at their lack of attention to kids programs. She brought this to the attention of the pastor and I thought his response was absolutely stunning.
He indicated that, yes, they used to have a kids program before, but it just turned out to be a babysitting club. They decided they would go after the parents first and then bring the kids in. Wow, what a backwards way of thinking. First of all, it's not babysitting if you are teaching unsaved kids about God. Of course, if all you are doing is just babysitting, then that's your own fault. Secondly, I don't know of any kids or youth program anywhere that doesn't have a great deal of kids whose parents do not attend that church. Kids and youth programs can be huge outreach ministries, and its through the kids that you can reach the parents. Sometimes vice versa, but not always.
In the church I grew up in, we had a fabulous Wednesday night program. But I'd say about 95% of the kids that came did not have parents that attended our church regularly (and that number may be conservative). But that didn't matter. We had the kids there, and we reached out to them in a big way. The church my brother attends in Fort Wayne does a huge outreach to youth in the area and probably 99.99% of those kids do not have parents that attend there. Imagine if their leadership decided that they didn't want to just "babysit" anymore? That would never happen but it just outlines how this other church in South Bend totally missed the point.
How sad that a church is basically writing off such a vital ministry. By the way, how did Marcie get interested in coming to our church? Our dinky little church put on a fabulous Vacation Bible School that her kids still talk about and that really impressed Marcie. She was surprised just how much the church cared about the kids. I'm so glad I attend a church that does indeed care about the little ones.
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