Football Future-see Week 2

Last week was an impressive opener for both college football and the Right
Wing prediction staff. We went 6-1, giving us a winning percentage
somewhere near .850. Not bad, considering we knew next to nothing about the
teams going in. Opening week was also special for us in that we predicted
7 games instead of our usual five.

The top 5 were impressive. Each team put up at least 40 points. USC
jumped Georgia for the top spot thanks to putting up 52 against a weak
Virginia team while Georgia played a Div II power in Georgia
Southern. Georgia went up 38-0, and then pulled all the starters, and most
of the second string, which allowed Southern to tack on 21 points over the
span of their final four drives.

But I’m kind of glad Georgia isn’t number 1 anymore. There’s a lot of
pressure associated with that spot, and with the injuries piling up, a
little relief is a good thing for the Dawgs.

Now, we get ready for week two, with our standard slate of five games.

Oregon State at (19) Penn State
Penn State annihilated Coastal Carolina, or was it Charleston Tech?, or it
might have been Carolina A&M… Anyway, the Nittany Lions pounded out 66
points against a vastly inferior opponent last week. This week they get
more of a test, mainly because Oregon State is an actual Division I team.
Final Score: Penn State 48, Oregon State 21

(8)West Virginia at East Carolina
East Carolina made a statement last week in taking down Virginia Tech. The
only problem facing the Pirates this week is that West Virginia is just
plain better than the Hokies. WVU is looking for another BCS run, while
East Carolina is eyeing a chance to bust the BCS party. Sadly, the Right
Wing doesn’t think that ECU has enough magic for two ranked opponent in two
weeks.
Final Score: West Virginia 37, East Carolina 24

Central Michigan at (2) Georgia
Central Michigan’s quarterback is supposedly one of the best “run-pass
threat” QBs in the nation. His only problem is that he plays for a
“directional” Michigan team. Georgia dropped to #2 in the AP Poll because
they decided to rest the starters and the second string after a 38 point
lead of Georgia Southern. Expect much of the same.
Final Score: Georgia 48, Central Michigan 20

Miami(FL) at (5) Florida
Ten years ago, maybe even five years ago, this would have been one of the
most compelling match-ups of the season. Now, it’s just another game for
Florida. Miami has lost much of its swagger and confidence when it comes
to big games. Remember, this team lost to Virginia 48-0 in the final game
in the old Orange Bowl. Last week Tebow and Company posted 56 points on an
overmatched Hawaii team. Look for Florida to dominate early, and often in
this one.
Final Score: Florida 51, Miami 21

Western Carolina at Florida State
Florida State was off last week, and they start their season with the
Catamounts of Western Carolina. Last year WCU went to Athens to play
Georgia and lost 45-16. They’re a good football team, when they stay in
their division. But Florida State, sad to say, could be the class of the
ACC this year… if given the chance. Seminoles Win, but I’d like to think
the WCU makes it respectable.
Final Score: Florida State 37, Western Carolina 20

Football Future-see Record

As a means of clarification on Football Future-see, I take my record from picking the winner correctly. The "predicted" Final Score is merely a way of having fun.

So this year, after every college football weekend, the Right Wing will update it's record. Week one was very good, except for one glaring miss (I'm looking at you Tennessee!)

Week One 6-1

Total 6-1

Games up-coming this week: (Note: the new AP rankings are not out yet, and the AP Poll is what the Right Wing follows)

Oregon State at (22) Penn State
(8)West Virginia at East Carolina
Central Michigan at (1) Georgia
Miami at (5) Florida
Western Carolina at Florida State

Football Future-see Returns

College Football fires up Thursday night. We’ve been waiting for this moment for a long time. It means one thing for the Right Wing:

The Return of Football Future-see
Opening Week Super-Sized Edition

Hawaii at (5) Florida:
The Warriors, coming off their best season ever, have lost their head coach, their quarterback, and their receiving corp. Now they start over in the Swamp, where Florida is looking to return to the glory of two seasons ago when they won the BCS National Title. Tebow might not be Superman, but the Hawaii defense isn’t exactly kryptonite, either. Florida wins, by a lot. Final Score: Gators 63, Warriors 17.

(24) Alabama at (9) Clemson (in Atlanta):
Pre-hyped as one of the better match-ups in week one, the Crimson Tide takes on the Tigers at neutral ground, the Georgia Dome. As an interesting aside, this game will draw more fans than each Falcons pre-season game combined. Clemson has one of the nation’s softest schedules. They’ve been hyped as a dark horse National Title contender. But Clemson has a history of choking in the spotlight. The Right Wing is calling it here. The Tigers leave week one with a loss. Clemson, go on upset alert. Final Score: Alabama 24, Clemson 21.

Georgia Southern at (1) Georgia:
For the first time in the history of history, the Dawgs start as #1 in both pre-season polls. The last time Georgia played Georgia Southern, UGA won 48-28. Look for much the same this time out. Georgia may have lost some players to injury, but GSU has suspended 8 players for this game, including their starting running back, effectively ending their hopes of winning. QB Matthew Stafford and RB Knowshon Moreno lead a Dawgs offense that hung 40 points on Florida and Auburn and Hawaii last season. I don’t see the GSU defense being any better. Final Score: UGA 51, GSU 10.

(20) Illinois at (6) Missouri:
To me, this is one of the most intriguing week one games, only because Illinois is ranked far higher than I ever thought they would be. Illinois was crushed in the Rose Bowl they last time they took the field as a team. Missouri was a bit ticked at the end of last year when Kansas went to a BCS bowl and they didn’t, even though Missouri played for a conference title, and they play in the same division as Kansas. Missouri is so much better than Illinois, though, that the Fighting Illini really will looked overmatched in this game. Final Score: Missouri 31, Illinois 13

(3) USC at Virginia:
Virginia is trying, you have to give them that. They aren’t afraid to let the big boys come into their yard. At least, they aren’t afraid yet. Just wait. USC is coming off yet another Rose Bowl victory, and is already eyeing the National Championship. They might get caught looking ahead, though, to Ohio State. Maybe, just maybe. But probably not. Final Score: USC 41, Virginia 17.

(18) Tennessee at UCLA (Monday):
Monday Night College Football. Tennessee takes SEC-style football across the country to PAC-10 land. We keep hearing the question “Who is better: the PAC-10 or the SEC?” and you can’t answer that question by pitting Tennessee against UCLA. And this question comes up every year. And all we the fan get is a match-up like Tennessee/UCLA, or USC/Arkansas. At least in week three of this season we’ll get something a bit more definitive (UGA/Arizona State). I really don’t even think this one will be close. Final Score: Tennessee 38, UCLA 16.

Appalachian State at (7) LSU:
Appalachian State pulled off the biggest upset of the year, maybe of the century, last season when they went to Michigan and shocked Big Blue. This year, they come to SEC Country, where an LSU team awaits. LSU looks to be down a bit this year, and they’ve yet to settle on a Quarterback, but it won’t matter. AppState won’t do it again. Final Score: LSU 32, Appalachian State 18.

Jacksonville State at Georgia Tech (Thursday):
There are two reasons that this game appears on this list. 1. Georgia Tech is a local team, so to be fair I have to include them every now and then. 2. Jacksonville State might not have a lot of household value as a name, but they do have a quarterback, former LSU starter Ryan Perrilloux. Georgia Tech is an enigma team this season. They’ve got a new Head Coach. They have reloaded on both sides of the ball, so there isn’t exactly a scouting report on them. JSU puts a scare into Tech. Final Score: Georgia Tech 27, Jacksonville State 25.



Formula One Update:
Did anyone else see the race last weekend? Valencia was an absolutely gorgeous track, with very fins racing occurring on it. Felipe Massa took the win, but as Robert said, it was only because he got pole position and was never really challenged. Had Lewis Hamilton been a few seconds closer, Massa would likely have screwed up in some way.

And Kimi Raikkonen nearly killed half his pit crew by jumping the gun while refueling. To the best of my knowledge, the crewmen involved weren't too badly injured.

Also, Valencia is in Spain, home of Fernando Alonso, who, as it just so happened, crashed out on the very first lap of the race.

Obama Loves Change

I try to have an open mind. I try. Sometimes it doesn't seem that way, but I truly do try.

So I find myself wondering why people love Barack Obama so much. I honestly don't get it.

A few weeks ago a very good friend of mine asked me who I would vote for. At the time, I wasn't exactly decided, but Obama wasn't one the list, and I told her that he wasn't. She asked me why not, to which I responded "Why so?"

Her answer stumped me for a bit. She replied, "Well, I think he can bring about the changes he talked about."

Which got me to thinking: what change has he talked about?

Now I try to stay in the loop and keep up with what the candidates are saying, and I can tell you this, most of the change Barack Obama has talked about has only been an excuse to use the trigger word: CHANGE. I think the daily talking points from Camp Obama probably include the instruction "Use the word Change as often as possible for maximum effect."

He has yet to truly explain what he would change, and I have to say he really backed up his belief in "Change we can Believe in" by picking Joe Biden, a man who has worked in Washington for 36 years as a Senator, in his Senate position has held two of the most power spots a Senator can achieve, and as an older white man really expresses the "change" Obama is about.

So why do people love this guy so much? Is it the youth? The charisma? The spunk?

He's different from previous candidates, but that's not necessarily good. He is the most in-experienced candidate to run for President in more than a hundred years. Like every other candidate he talks about the plight of the middle class while he rakes in millions upon millions each year.

He continually talks up his essentially socialist programs that would cause the average voter to become far more dependent upon the federal government, but at least he does a great job of masking it with the word Change.

I've dug deeper into Obama's words and his message, and all I can see is a very in-experienced socialist trying to become the leader of the free world.

I welcome anyone who can explain the infatuation to me?

Big Bag O' Fun

We've been off our game lately here at the Right Wing.
Once upon a time we brought you the lamest political and sports coverage available on ye olde intarweb.

Well, we probably won't regain our old form this time...

The Olympics:

I've watched more of the Olympic Games this time than any before. The opening ceremony was fantastic, but it didn't take long for controversy to begin a-brewin'.

Michael Phelps (read: He's better than the rest of the world, get over it) took eight gold medals in eight events, a perfect record. But his drive has been slightly marred by the close finish in one race. The margin of victory for Phelps was a mere one-thousandth of a second. It takes longer to blink. So the rest of the world began to cry foul.

Then, the fun began with the Chinese Olympic gymnasts. I'm not going to pretend that everyone ages at the same rate, because we just don't. But if you've seen some of the girls that the Chinese brought out for gymnastics, you'd understand the outrage. Seriously, these girls look like they're 13 at best, not the IOC mandated 15. (Olympic competitors may be 15 so long as they turn 16 in the same calendar year, or so I've been told by NBC).

Now, interesting evidence has come to light that one of the girls was born in 1994, not 1992 as China says. Yup, 1994... you do the math.

Politics:

Obama and McCain are both poised to announce their running mates before the end of the month. Obama's "short list" includes names like Sam Nunn, Evan Bayh, Joe Biden, and a couplf of others. My money is on Evan Bayh.

McCain's list looks like this: Mitt Romney, Nike Huckabee, Joe Lieberman. Romney and Huckabee are both bad choices, I think. Lieberman could bring in more of the independent vote.

Sports:

NFL Player's Association head Gene Upshaw passed away at the age of 63. Upshaw was daignosed last Sunday with pancreatic cancer, and he died Thursday. Now the NFLPA mourns it's fallen leader, and begins the search for a new head.

Georgia has claimed the number one spot in both the Coach's Poll and the AP Poll.

Brett Favre USED To Be My Hero...

This Brett Favre stuff has been a true roller coaster. I mean, honestly, I cared for a little while, then I realized that the only classy guy in the entire mess is Aaron Rodgers. Brett's been a jerk, the Packer's front office has been a collective jerk. And now Brett's gone to the J-E-T-S Jets Jets Jets.

First, let's break down the deal.

New York Jets get:
Brett Favre (and all the media circus that goes with him)

Green Bay Packers get:
A conditional fourth-round draft pick. If Favre Takes 50% of the snaps this season, the pick becomes a third-rounder. If he takes 70% of the snaps, and the Jets make the playoffs, the pick becomes a second rounder. If Favre takes 80% or more of the snaps and the Jets make the Super Bowl, the pick becomes a first-round selection.

Oh, and one other thing, if the Jets turn around and trade Brett Favre to the Minnesota Vikings, the Jets will have to surrender three first round picks to Green Bay.

So, here's my deal with this situation. I'm having a hard time siding with Brett Favre. The way I look at it, Favre retired after last season. That means he told the Packers he was hanging up the cleats and walking away from the game.

Then, less than a month before training camp opens, Favre decides that he still wants to play. And for some reason the Packers are supposed to let him walk right back in to where he was, as though the last few months never happened.

Lost in the shuffle is Aaron Rodgers, who has been quietly biding his time and learning from one of the best in the game. And every off-season Rodgers has to deal with the uncertainty of "Is Brett retiring this time?" or "What's the deal with Brett?" Rodgers was finally given his chance to step up with Favre's press conference announcing the end of his career.

And then Brett was back. I really think that Brett Favre wakes up every morning looking for ways to screw with Aaron Rodgers.



Brett, you used to be my hero. I would watch games just to see you. And yeah, I probably will tune in to more Jets games this year, but I've lost a lot of respect for you.

Aarong Rodgers, have a great season!

Pre-Season Conference Rankings

With pre-season camps opening this week, it seems fitting for the Right Wing to join the fray. College Football is upon us once again, and I have to say that it is the most wonderful time of the year.

Today’s installment will deal with a simple question:
Of the 6 BCS Conferences, which one is the best?

The deeper meaning of the question will soon be expounded. However, the Right Wing is approaching this topic in a different manner from previous years. We’re going to list the major conference, starting with the weakest and going to the strongest, and we’re going to break down why the stars are lining up the way they are.

Let’s begin…

6. Big East
Why?: The Big East once held some power, but then Miami, Virginia Tech and Boston College fled to the friendlier confines of the ACC (and you’ll see in a moment why that hasn’t panned out). Now the conference is dominated by West Virginia and Louisville, but newcomer South Florida is poised to bring the noise this season. Overall, though, the Big East just doesn’t have the star-power that the other members of the “Big 6” have.
What to Watch For: South Florida. The Bulls made huge strides last season, and quarterback Matt Groethe is on the brink of a break out season. We’ve already picked this team to win the conference, and we’re sticking with it.
Best Game(s): South Florida at West Virginia on Dec. 6

5. ACC
Why?: On the day that it was publicly announced that Miami, Boston College, and Virginia Tech were joining the ACC, sports writer’s nationwide began proclaiming the start of a conference dynasty. They were wrong. This conference has been down since the merger. It’s sad to say this, but you know your conference is struggling when Wake Forest is your champion over Georgia Tech. I don’t really foresee a rise to power by the ACC this season.
What to Watch For: Clemson. Perennial choke artist Clemson has an agreeable schedule and a great team, but they’re still Clemson. I know that we’ve already got them winning the ACC, but don’t look for a BCS victory from the Tigers this season.
Best Game(s): we’re not sure if there will be a best game

4. Big Ten
Why?: Once a powerhouse, the Big Ten has fallen from grace recently. Michigan is not what they once were, nor is Penn State or Wisconsin. Ohio State is this conference’s saving grace, and that’s only because weak non-conference play seems to get the Buckeye’s to the title game every year. In the end, the Big Ten (actually 11 teams) is still shy of superpower status.
What to Watch For: Wisconsin. I really think this team can make a run this year, as evidenced by the fact that we have them in the Rose Bowl against USC.
Best Game(s): Michigan vs. Ohio State, Penn State vs. Wisconsin.

3. Pac-10
Why?: The PAC-10 gets so much love from the national media that most of them would be shocked that we have the west-coasters at #3 and not #1. Seriously, listen to the media, and you’d think that the PAC-10 can do no wrong. The truth is, the PAC-10 will be better this year than in previous season because Arizona State will actually put something together in conference this year. Look for USC to win the conference once again, but ASU runs close enough to lock up their own BCS berth.
What to Watch For: September 20. On that day, Arizona State will play host to the #1 team in the land, the University of Georgia. That game, as much as the game the week before (USC vs. Ohio State) will have huge championship ramifications.
Best Game(s): USC vs UCLA, ASU vs. UGA(nc), USC vs. Ohio State(nc)

2. Big XII
Why?: Only one other conference is as stacked as the Big XII, and that’s the conference we haven’t talked about yet. The Big XII South will be one of the best divisions in college football this season, with an attrition rate nearly as high as the SEC. Texas and Oklahoma will once again battle for supremacy, but Texas Tech will keep it interesting, and Texas A&M can never be counted out.
What to Watch For: Texas Tech. The Red Raiders will be a team on the rise this year. Their offense is one of the best in the nation, but they have big tests against Oklahoma and Texas.
Best Game(s): Texas vs. Oklahoma, Texas vs. Texas Tech, Kansas vs. Missouri

1. SEC
Why?: Come on, do you really have to ask? The SEC is stacked. No other conference has as many teams ranked as the SEC, no other conference produces as many bowl eligible teams as the SEC, and no other conference has won as many bowls games as the SEC. Last season’s final AP poll was telling: SEC team’s claimed the top two spots. Of the 119 Div I schools, the SEC produced the two best, and they’ve already claimed top billing in this year’s preseason coach’s poll.
What to Watch For: The SEC East. Talk about dominance. The SEC is stacked, with not a single soft team in the bracket. That’s right, even good old Vanderbilt can put a scare into other teams. The race in the East should prove very fun indeed.
Best Game(s): All of them. UGA vs. Florida, Auburn vs. Alabama, UGA vs. Tennessee

My New-Found Sport

Hi. My name is Blake. And I think I'm becoming an addict.

Okay, so enough of the overly-dramatic. I've found something new. Something that has always been there, and that one of my fellow bloggers has extolled as the paragon of motorsport for years. I tried once to watch this spectacle, and I was left with a deep desire for sleep.

I was bored.

Then, something changed. I sat down two weeks ago to watch some television one Sunday afternoon, and I stopped on Fox, where they were showing the Formula 1 race from Hockenheim. And I was hooked. Reeled in like a fish who is still trying to figure out why that worm had a hook in it in the first place.

Then, last Sunday, I woke up about 8am, and remembered that the F1 race from Budapest (Hungaroring) was going to be shown live. I watched as long as I could, and then had to leave for church. I knew, thankfully, that the race would be replayed later that day.

So after church I call up Robert (he of the previous extolling I mentioned) and asked him about the race. He had yet to see any of it. Somehow, in the crazy, upside down world we live in, I had gained a step on Mr. F1 himself.

I'm going to try not to wax poetic about the races, but if you get a chance, watch. For you NASCAR people out there, you think a pit stop is big stuff on an oval track, watch these guys work.

Lewis Hamilton all the way!

Football Predictions...

Well, it’s August, and that means that it is time for the Right Wing to unveil our preseason football picks. Buckle up for this one…

NFL: (* indicates first-round bye in playoffs)

NFC:
North: Green Bay*
South: New Orleans
East: Dallas*
West: Seattle
Wild Cards: Philadelphia, Minnesota

AFC:
North: Pittsburgh
South: Indianapolis*
East: New England*
West: San Diego
Wild Cards: Jacksonville, Cleveland

NFC Championship: Dallas over Seattle
AFC Championship: Indianapolis over Pittsburgh

Super Bowl: Indianapolis over Dallas

A Series of Compelling NFL Predictions:

1. Playoff Scenarios (The most in-depth prediction ever from the Right Wing)
AFC:
Wild Card Round:
Pittsburgh defeats Jacksonville, San Diego defeats Cleveland
Divisional Round:
Indianapolis defeats San Diego, Pittsburgh defeats New England
Championship Game:
Indianapolis defeats Pittsburgh

NFC:
Wild Card Round:
Seattle defeats Philadelphia, Minnesota defeats New Orleans
Divisional Round:
Seattle defeats Green Bay, Dallas defeats Minnesota
Championship Game:
Dallas defeats Seattle

2. Brett Favre will un-retire and play the last three games of the season with a CFL team.

3. The Green Bay Packers will go 11-5 with Aaron Rodgers at the helm. He will receive a phone call from Brett Favre everyday. Favre is only trying to screw with his head.

4. Brett Favre will not be traded for Manny Ramirez.

5. The Atlanta Falcons will not have the worst record in the NFL at season’s end. That honor will go to the Kansas City Chiefs. The Falcons will go 4-12; the Chiefs will finish 2-14.

6. The Patriots will NOT go undefeated in the regular season this time.

7. Brett Favre.

8. The New York Jets will try to talk Brett Favre into playing for them under the assumed name of “Chad Pennington.” As per the contract stipulations, though, Favre will be the only player on the field for the Jets offense.

9. 9-7. That’s all it will take to win the NFC South.


College:

ACC Atlantic: Clemson
ACC Coastal: Virginia Tech
ACC Champion: Clemson

Big Ten: Ohio State

Pac-10: USC

Big East: South Florida

SEC East: Georgia
SEC West: Auburn
SEC Campion: Georgia

Big XII North: Missouri
Big XII South: Oklahoma
BIG XII Champion: Oklahoma

A Series of Compelling College Football Predictions:

1. Ohio State will play a weak non-conference schedule (after the USC game)… again. And they’ll play for the National Title…. again. And they will lose to an SEC team… again.

2. South Florida will stun West Virginia in Morgantown on December 6 to wrap up the Big East and a BCS Bowl berth.

3. BCS Bowls: Round Two Predictions
Rose: USC vs. Wisconsin
Sugar: Auburn vs. BYU
Fiesta: Oklahoma vs. Arizona State
Orange: Clemson vs. South Florida
National Championship Game: Georgia vs. Ohio State

4. Arizona State vs. Georgia will be a more compelling non-conference game than Ohio State vs. USC. I just have a feeling on this one…

5. The Rose Bowl will once again be presented with a chance to break tradition and take a great team not in the Big Ten, but they will opt instead for a repeat of last year’s debacle in which powerhouse USC crushed a Big Ten foe that did not belong there.

6. By New Year’s Day it will be obvious that the Cotton Bowl will be one of the better match-ups of Bowl Season. (The Right Wing predicted match-up: LSU vs. Texas)

7. For the second year in a row, the Sugar Bowl will pit a strong SEC team against a heralded, but unproven non-BCS conference opponent. The SEC will again dominate.

8. A non-BCS Conference team will be close to undefeated once again, and they’ll be mad that they didn’t get into the title game. The rest of the country will point to their weak schedule, at which point the non-BCS conference team will point to Ohio State’s schedule.

9. LSU is already on upset alert… opponent number one this season: Appalachian State.

10. Georgia’s schedule is rated at the third toughest in the nation this year. After looking at it, I can only wonder which teams are number one and two on that list.

Last, but not least…
11. Newly Revised Pre-Season Top Ten (#) indicates predicted order of finish in BCS rankings
10. Texas (14)
9. Missouri (9)
8. Clemson (6)
7. Auburn (4)
6. West Virginia (12)
5. Florida (10)
4. Ohio State (2)
3. Oklahoma (5)
2. USC (3)
1. Georgia (1)

A Psuedo-Scathing Rant

I need someone to explain something to me.
I need someone to tell me why, exactly, nice guys finish last?
Yeah, I know that a level of niceness doesn't exactly breed competition. I know that.
But I still don't get it.
In this world there are guys who are nice. Guy that can be trusted with your life.
Guys that can keep secrets if that's what is asked of them.
Guys that won't hurt you.
Yet, for some reason, these guys always seem to be alone. It's like no one will give them a chance, even though it's a known fact that these guys are not going to hurt you.
I see guys who are jerks to everyone, just complete and total wastes of time... but these guys can get any girl they want, and then when they hurt said girl, said girl goes to the nice guy and complains, and will sometimes go so far as to say "I wish I could find someone like you."
Well, HELLO!!!
We've been here the whole time. Getting screwed every time we turn around because we're not the jack-hole that, yeah he might look like Brad Pitt or whoever, he's still gonna tick you off and hurt you. And you know that we won't. Yet, we still don't get the chance. And I'll admit something: it's beginning to piss us off.
Everyday, we hear what nice, sweet, loving, caring guys we are. Everyday, seemingly, we hear about how the other guy has wronged you. We hear about how you wish you could find someone like us. What are we? Imaginary friends?
I know I'm sounding quite whiny at the moment, but this crap has to be said. Because the nice guys are getting ticked. We're slowly becoming the jerks that are hurting you now. We don't want to be, but we're running out of options. Guys may act all big and tough, but there's only so much crap we can take before we stop altogether.
Remember that. Remember that when your jerk boyfriend cheats on you. Remember that the next time you tell a guy that you wish you could find someone like him. Remember that he's hurt too.
I'm saying this because it's true. The nice guys are becoming fewer in number, because they see the jerks getting whatever they want, and so the nice guys turn to being jerks themselves. Those of us who have tried to remain nice, well, we're becoming jerks inadvertently. We don't want to be, but we're also tired of being hurt.
We're tired. We wouldn't hurt anyone, and yet we live in constant pain and misery, wallowing in loneliness because we know no other way to be.
I honestly think that the nice guys in this world are better than the jerks, I really do. But the nice guys are doomed to finish last.
So can someone tell me why?

Politics Strikes Back

I like politics. There's something about it that gets me going. Kinda like Celtic music, I can't help myself.

So the other day I'm flipping through the channels and I happen across C-SPAN (it was either CSPAN II or maybe CSPAN LXXIV (local township council meetings)). One of the Iowa representatives (a Republican) was standing and speaking about the gas prices. What caught my eye was his chart.

I try not to blame everything on Washington, and when I do, I honestly try to look for the cause (although Robert over at Skewed will tell you I blame only Democrats). This chart showed that on the day George W. Bush took office in January of 2001, regular unleaded nationwide was at $1.49/gallon. Then, when the Democratic controlled congress was installed in January of 2007, unleaded was $2.88/gallon. Since then, under a Democrat controlled congress, gas prices have risen to historic levels, currently rocking around $4.10/gallon.

The next representative to stand spoke on energy usage. Both representatives wet to great lengths to proclaim the failures of Congress, and yes they actually blamed their own party as well, for letting things reach the point they are at.

The Democrats claimed that they would go after "big oil" for their obscene profits. That's right, an 8% profit is obscene, according to the federal government. That means big oil makes 8 cents for every dollar sold. What most people don't know is that the federal government makes about 45 cents per dollar sold when it comes to gasoline. But "big oil" is the enemy, remember?

Also, these two representatives lambasted the Congress for complaining about oil prices, but then stifling every attempt to drill in this country, or off our own coast. Sadly, foreign nations are striking deals with Cuba to drill practically within sight of the United States, and yet we can't do the same thing. But it isn't all the government's fault. Every time an oil company proposes drilling somewhere, the Sierra Club, or Greenpeace, or someone else comes out and sues the company, keeping them from drilling.

So what are we to do? Apparently the democratic side of the aisle won't let any more drilling occur. And the republican side of the aisle doesn't have the backbone to try anything. What are we to do?

The First Sports Related Blog in a Long Time

Way Too Early Predictions:
1. Baseball will have instant replay. Some argue that Instant Replay will slow the game down, but that makes no sense, as was demonstrated by an Alex Rodriguez home run that was erroneously ruled a double earlier this year. The announcers on TV quickly showed a replay and, within fifteen seconds of the inital call, they stated that it was, in fact, a home run. The umpires debated for nearly eight minutes before calling it a double. Which is longer: 15 seconds, or 8 minutes?

2. College Football won't have a playoff. At least for another ten years. As much as the fans, the coaches, and the teams clamor for a playoff, the system won't be fixed, because it's making too much money.

3. Speaking of College Football, here's the Right Wing Prediction Staff's Pre-pre-season BCS bowl prediticions:
Rose Bowl: Arizona State vs. Ohio State
Sugar Bowl: LSU vs. Oklahoma
Orange Bowl: Virginia Tech vs. South Florida
Fiesta Bowl: Texas vs. West Virginia
BCS Championship: Georgia vs. USC

4. The 2008 World Series: Chicago Cubs vs. Tampa Bay Rays


A Note From Your Blogger
Okay, most my three-person readership knows that I'm a sports guy. Hockey and Football are my two favorites, followed by baseball, then rugby, maybe.

I'm not a basketball guy... except that I'll watch at most five games a year. The SEC Championship game, only if Georgia is playing. The NCAA Title Game. And Games 4-7 of the NBA Finals. This should clue you in on something... I'm addicted to Championship games.

I haven't watched an NBA game all year, but now that it's title time, I'll most likely be in front of the TV, watching, and in this case, pulling for the Celtics, just because I can't stand Kobe Bryant. I don't know why, he could be a fantastic person, but I just don't like him on the court.

Obama's Weekend Trifecta

This was too good to pass up. Speaking in Sunrise, Florida over the weekend, Obama made three wonderful gaffes.

1. He repeatedly called the city "Sunshine" instead of Sunrise
2. He stated "On this Memorial Day, as our nation honors its unbroken line of fallen heroes -- and I see many of them in the audience here today -- our sense of patriotism is particularly strong."
3. His uncle liberated Auschwitz.

Just to clarify:
1. The city is called Sunrise, but he mispronounced the name several times
2. The man apparently sees dead people in the crowds he's talking to... and we're worried about McCain's mental state
3. The Soviets liberated Auschwitz, not the Americans. But at least his uncle is well traveled...

Other Gaffes by Obama:
a. He called Sioux Falls, South Dakota "Sioux City"
b. claimed that Hugo Chavez came to power while George W. Bush was in office (it actually happened during Clinton's second term)
c. claimed that he wanted to be President of all 57 states

Told ya', I couldn't pass this up...

There Must be a Place...

People like to talk about epiphanies. That singular moment in their lives when everything they ever believed in was changed, when every person they held dear was revealed for what they really were, for better or for worse. That moment when, no matter what problem you were facing, you realized you'd get through it. Epiphanies can be brought on by songs, by movies, even just looking at nature. The funny thing about epiphanies is that a person is not limited to only one per lifetime...

Tonight was my one of my epiphanies, albeit, a rather depressing epiphany. I'm sitting at my trusty HP Pavilion that still runs Windows 98 and I'm surfing YouTube for Scottish rock. One of my favorite bands, Runrig, happens to be Scottish.

I came across a plethora of Runrig clips, and one of the songs was "Hearts of Olden Glory." I had never listened to this song before tonight. So, feeling adventurous, I clicked on the link and within moments was completely absorbed in one of the greatest songs I've ever heard.

Honestly, no song has ever seemed so moving, as cheesy as that sounds. But as the song played I leaned back in my chair, closed my eyes, and let every thought I could run through my brain, framed to this music. A Psychologist would probably say my results were tainted because I deliberately injected outside stimulus, but in this case, I don't mind the psychology.

About halfway through, when the rocking guitar solo kicked in, I found myself in a state of pseudo-anger and quasi-fascination. I realized just how much the little things bothered me. I realized how ticked off I am that gas is nearing $4/gallon. I realized how ticked off I am that we're still quagmired in Iraq after 4 years. I realized how ridiculous it was that three people have shelled out millions upon millions of dollars to gain a position that pays no more than $400,000 or so a year. I realized how greatly "the system" was failing people. And I realized seemingly how little I could do about it all.

Yeah, my sudden desire to teach is a step in the right direction. It's a chance to educate a group of people who have been systematically failed at every turn by the very educational system that seeks to create the next generation of leaders in this nation. But even at that, one person can't make that much of a difference, can they? I used to talk about the Greater Good, and I realized that, undoubtedly, the entire nation would have to get behind such an ideal for any real change to be made.

The country is so divided that I really don't see anything that can bring us back together, so I think I've reverted to a baser, spiritual desire for inner renewal. I don't want to say that I've given up on our country, because I haven't. But honestly, lately I haven't seen anything to inspire hope that the divide can be repaired. One side blames the other for everything, the other side basically sticks up a middle finger and shouts names back in ridicule. Of course, there are exceptions to the rule, but that merely proves that the rule exists.

I realized that our generation has been stricken with heavy heart like no generation since World War II. We've actually watched our friends go off and die in a war that hasn't really gained us anything, save for a big fat check for Halliburton. We've seen the divide grow wider and wider as our own government runs around pointing fingers instead of actually solving problems. We've watched as our own President became a lame duck even before the election cycle ended, all because he's lost the faith of the people, or in some cases never had it to begin with.

I can't help but recall the John Adams miniseries on HBO. In one of his letters, Adams pleads for posterity to remember how much the previous generation gave to preserve the freedom they enjoy. That memory, that understanding of what others have given, is all but lost to the current generation. The divide has grown so overwhelming that it has replaced the desire for freedom with the desire for security.

So what does a people do when they've had enough? It's hard enough to get one percent of the people behind something, much less all of the people. So what can one person do?

So, that was a bit of a rant, but I must say I feel better having gotten that off my chest. Good night, and may God bless...

Stars: a short post

I got to hang out with one of my best friends tonight. We've both been so busy that it was the first time we'd seen each other in about three weeks. We had a blast, and when we got back to her house, it was nearly 11p.m. The nice thing about where she lives, aside from being only a couple of miles form where I live, is that ambient light is almost non-existent, and there is a wonderful view of the heavens.

I love the stars, and it saddens me that I'm not as familiar with the summer constellations as I am with the winter star formations. I can point out Orion, Cassiopeia, Gemini, Cygnus... all without problem...

But during the summer, I can find the Big Dipper and that's about it. I think I need to do some work on that...

Behind Door #1... A New Car!!!

Graduating college is one of those moments where you know everything after it is going to be different. I know, I know, that sounds horribly cliché, but receiving that diploma casts a new light on everything you do. And there are certain things a college grad is "supposed" to do.
-Get a job
-Buy a car
-Buy a house
-get married
-yada yada yada

Well, I've already got a job, or at least one that pays enough until I find a real job and go back for my Master's Degree. So I immediately went for item #2.

That's right, I bought a car.

I made the decision a while back that I would be getting a new car, but at the time I was thinking a car that was "new" to me, not necessarily a car fresh off the lot. Turns out, payments are not that different between a used vehicle and a new one, plus the new one carries the added incentive of warranty.

So I started looking, and thinking about what car I wanted. I needed something fuel efficient, especially in a year or so when I hopefully start back to North Georgia for my Masters. So big trucks were out... in fact, all trucks were out. This would require a car. I knew I did not want a Ford. Don't ask me how I knew, it was just knowledge I had. Ford was out.

I knew that Chevy was a good brand. Hey, my truck was a 1996 S-10, so I know they're good. I went to the lot, and within moments had found the car I was looking for. A 2008 Chevy Cobalt, slate metallic finish, gray interior. It's a 4-cylinder that's rate 24-26mpg city and 31-33 mpg highway, so that works very well for me.

I love this car. You guys have to see it sometime.

Late Night Meanderings

If it isn't already painfully obvious, I'm running low on things to write. Robert told me once that he went through the same thing when he graduated. It's like all the material you once had has now completely vanished, and you, the writer, and stuck with months of writer's block. I've tried to stay busy with the election coverage. I listen to the news and seek out things to write.

Yet, for all I do, the material just seems to go further away. I do want to take a moment to answer some criticisms Robert threw my way after the last post.

- I am, in no way, a supporter of Barack Obama. I do not think that the most liberal senator in Congress is the right person for the job.

- I made the claim that criticizing Obama would land a person the racist label, and likewise criticizing Hillary Clinton would earn someone the sexist label. Robert says that only idiots would do that, and for as much as I would like to agree with him, the pundits are leaning contrary to the point of view. I've already heard people say that it's racism if you don't think Obama would make a good president. I was actually told by my boss that he heard a woman say that Hillary would make a great president. Her rationale: She's a woman. Until we get beyond the petty differences of race, gender, and religion, we'll never have open, honest, intellectual debate in this country.

-I do not wish for a second coming of JFK. I have never for a moment believed that he was a great President. What put him above other candidates was is youthful exuberance... his spunk, if you will. Let's look at the last few elections:
2000: older white man vs. older white man
2004: older white man vs. older white man
2008: really older white man vs. not-quite-so-old black man vs. older white woman
Please note the important adjective in play here: OLDER.
Older candidates do not necessarily make better candidates. Experience helps, absolutely, but so does charisma. And we all know that charisma means nothing if you have no substance. So what I meant in saying that we need a younger JFK-like candidate was that we need someone who will break the mold of older candidates.

Now I'm tired.
Good night, and may God bless.

Long Hard Seemingly Endless Bataan Death March to the White House

*Special Thanks to the Daily Show, they came up with that title, which seems fittingly appropriate*

The Primary season is drawing to a gracious end. John McCain wrapped up the Republican nomination weeks ago. Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama have been matched in a Democratic slugfest since then. Obama maintains a lead in the popular vote, states won, and delegate counts, but Clinton refuses to go away.
Many pundits say that Obama has already clinched the Democratic nomination, and all that is left is for Clinton to concede the race. Thus the rumor mill begins to churn…

Rumor is Clinton is hanging on in the race not because she thinks she can win but because she sees it as an opportunity to weaken and expose Obama. The motivation is fairly simple: John McCain is 76 years old. That means that if he wins in ’08 and goes up for re-election 2012, he’ll be 80. No one has ever been elected President at 80. Also, taking out Obama now makes he look stronger in 2012.

Another rumor says Hillary is staying in the race so that the support she draws will show Obama that she is the best pick for Vice President. An Obama/Clinton ticket, some say, would be the dream Democratic ticket, an African-American male and a white female.

Obama went on the campaign trail in West Virginia, a state he lost by a 2-to-1 margin, and he spoke at a clothing plant. During his speech he made some fairly dubious claims. Claims like “It is the right of hard working Americans to retire with respect.” I’ve read the Constitution and I didn’t see that in there. Obama also said that during his first term as President that the government would provide universal health care. That way, when the unions go to the bargaining table, they can demand higher wage instead of health coverage. This sounds great, until you realize that if a company raises wages they must raise the cost of their goods and services, or they must cut the workforce number in order to break even or make a profit. The big plan from the Democrat side of the aisle is to raise taxes 6 or 7 percent on the top 1% of wage earners in this country, a group of people who already carry nearly 12% of the tax burden. Obama even stated that if you are a senior citizen making $55,000 a year or less that you shouldn’t pay income tax at all. Sadly, it is already becoming apparent that if you disagree with Obama or his policies you will be branded a racist. Of course, disagreement with Hillary earns you the sexist label.

A study once revealed that if all the money in the US were taken and distributed equally, the richest people now would once again be the richest within five years, because they understand how to invest and make more money. But under the current tax structure success is punished and laziness and poor fiscal responsibility are rewarded.

It saddens me that there are over 300 million people living in the United States, and yet these three are the best candidates we can come up with. The polls have shown that in the last few election cycles the voting populace has been unhappy with the lack of good or even decent candidates. Yet, again we are presented with three-fold mediocrity in an election for the most powerful position in the free world.

Robert once said that our best means of electing the president was to have an American Idol style show in which we elect a drunken chimp, then let that chimp, blindfolded, throw a dart at a map of the US, then fly the chimp over the darted state, push it out of the plane, let it parachute down to the ground, and the first person it touches… that’s the President.

I have to say, that may have already happened.

I was talking to my dad a couple of days ago and he asked me what needed to happen to change the government. I told him that, if you look at the last few election cycles, you have cookie-cutter candidates. Each time someone runs for President, they are typically a white male in the 60s or older. Bill Clinton was an aberration because of the youthful charisma he brought to the office. I really think that this nation needs a younger, maverick candidate along the lines of John F. Kennedy. And I don’t think that Obama, Hillary, of McCain fit that bill.

Unfortunately, no one currently in a position of power fits the maverick style we’re looking for. The youngest a person can be to become President, according to the supreme law of the land, is 35 years old. Yet, JFK is the youngest ever, and he was in his forties when he was elected. Maybe it’s time the nation elected a younger candidate again…

Historically Factual-Fiction

History is the study of life. Now, before you say, “No, Blake, Biology is the study of life,” let me remind you that we’re talking about semantics. Life in history is not the same as life in biology. In history, we study why things happen. Sometimes we study this to learn the reasons behind events. Some people, though, realize the necessity of studying history so that we can learn the lessons of the past, and are therefore no longer doomed to repeat them.
There’s the over-generalization of history: stuff happened and people died.
There’s the over-specialization of history: “Stonewall” Jackson ate every meal standing up.
Then… there is alternate history.
I love alternate history, because it combines my two favorite school subjects, history and creative writing, in a wonderful blend of pseudo-factual fiction. World War II is the subject of much alternate history writing. What if Japan had pressed its advantage after Pearl Harbor? What if Germany had better fortified Northern France during June of 1944? What if the Allies had lost the Battle of the Bulge at Bastogne? What if Japan had not spread its forces so thin in the Pacific? What if the US lost the Battle of Midway?
The list of “what if’s” is a great read. Some people think of it as morbid curiosity. I think of it as decent fiction, with the caveat of having the knowledge to know how close some of these things came to happening…
It made me think: what alternate history will be written for our generation? So I came up with a few “What If” questions concerning recent history… Granted, the details aren’t the best, I still think these are interesting…

1. What if the 2000 Florida recount had gone to Gore?
This is sort of the lynch-pin alternate history question of our time. When George W. Bush was elected President in November of 2000, the race in Florida was so close that it went to multiple recounts, finally reaching the U. S. Supreme Court, where Bush was eventually declared the victor. The Democratic Party pushed for more recounts in the state, but, in what some view as a devastating move, only wanted to recount certain counties, and not the whole state. Historians say that, had the entire state been recounted, Gore would have won the Presidency outright.
Gore would’ve taken the White House in January of 2001, and probably much like Bush, his first few months in office would have been quiet. The likelihood, though, is that the terror attacks of September 11th still would have happened. Gore’s response is the question. The military strikes on Afghanistan would still be in order, eliminating the Taliban and the safe-houses for Al-Qaeda.
Also, Gore would undoubtedly have handled the nation’s economic situation differently. The “Bush” tax cuts would not likely have happened. Nor would the “economic stimulus” check have ever been devised.

2. What if United Airlines flight 93 had reached its target?
I know that this question seems morose, but the answer needs to be studied. The most likely target of United 93 was the United States Capital Building. Had the people on the flight not fought back, and the terrorists been able to carry out their mission that day, the Capital would have been in ruins. An untold number of congressmen and Senators would be dead, and the government would be in shambles. The Legislative branch of the government would be a shell of its former self. The fallout would range from increasing the power of the Judicial and Executive branches until a new Congress was installed, or an immediate appointment of representatives by state governments. Either way, the ripple effect across the nation would be devastating.
Al-Qaeda would release tapes bragging about eliminating the government in one day. The enemies of the United States would step forward en masse, knowing that the nation had been crippled by losing most of the federal government.

3. What if the state and local governments had handled the Hurricane Katrina disaster differently?
The fallout from Hurricane Katrina and the disaster relief is one of the biggest black eyes handed out to the Bush administration. George W. Bush was blamed for everything from senior citizens left behind in flooding hospitals, to the breaking of the levees. The population of New Orleans was given ample warning of the coming storm, and the intensity it would bring. Some people left of their own accord, other banded together to get out. But some were too poor to leave. New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin had the opportunity to effect great change in the evacuation, but he did nothing. Hundreds of city school buses sat in flooded lots in the days after the storm. By simply getting the bus drivers to go house to house, getting people together to escape the wrath of the storm, Nagin could have forever altered history. Instead, the buses sat empty and Nagin and many other began pointing at FEMA.
Four days before the storm hit, weather forecasts were saying New Orleans was directly in the path of the Category 5 storm. The eye passed just miles from the city, but the storm graciously weakened to a Category 3 before landfall. Still, vast stretches of I-10 over Lake Ponchatrain were demolished.
In the alternative history, Nagin launched a fleet a buses. As the inhabitants of the Lower Ninth Ward evacuated, the Hurricane slammed into the coast, battering a deserted city. In the aftermath of the storm, FEMA moved in, with the aid of the state government, and successfully rendered aid to the people.

4. What if FDR had lived to the end of his fourth term as President?
Franklin D. Roosevelt served the longest amount of time as President in the nation’s history. Sadly, he died during his fourth term, just before the end of World War II. Harry Truman took over the office and ended the war with the use of the atomic bomb.
Bu what if FDR had survived? There are two competing schools of thought. The first says FDR would’ve stepped down, rolling back the myriad programs he put in place under the New Deal to save the country from the Depression. The other claims that he would’ve run for re-election again, saying “okay, you want it, you got it, I’m King Rooselvelt.”

5. What if there was no Clay Aiken?
One can only dream.

How Do I Title This?

The Rush is over.
The Dust is settled.
The crowd has gone home.

The Diploma is now neatly framed, with the tassle, and hanging on the living room wall.
The bookbag has been stowed in the closet, not to see the light of day for at least a year or so.

I've got four and a half months until the GRE.
I have free time. Lot's a free time. Of course, I'm working everyday, pulling down 40 to 45 hours a week, now. But it seems empty, because there's no more class. I'm not saying I have no class... I just have no class(es) to take. I'm done. Graduation signaled a lot of things.

I'm the first in my family to graduate college, or more precisely, earn a Bachelor's degree. I pride myself on that fact. Now, my friends will tell you that I'm egotistical... and they're right... at least concerning academics. Don't let the GPA fool you. I'm proud of my intelligence. For a long time I considered it the one good aspect of my being. Now, it's one of a few... on a list that seems to grow daily.

My dad asked me the other day why I don't sign up and try-out for a spot on Jeopardy!? I'm thinking about it. I realized that I am the epitome of a late-bloomer. I've basically waited until my mid-twenties to start doing things. Some of it I regret, but mostly, I couldn't be happier with the choices I've made in life.

I'm going to start writing again, and I mean really writing. I've got one of those ideas that stays in your head forever, and you know that if you don't write it... well, let's just say you know you have to write it.

Oh, and the music! I bought my first bass the other day, and I love it. I've played guitar for about ten years now, and the bass is so different that it's amazing. Plus, my musical taste is all over the spectrum now, so I have a wide array of things to learn. I'm basically a learning junkie.

My new-found free time is teaching me a lot about me.
Robert, find the chain-smoking monkey and the abacus, we've got studying to do!

Post-Grad Existence: Recap of Week One

Part I: Surprise!
Life in my new Post-Graduation world is full of surprises. I recall one time reading a FoxTrot comic strip about New Years Day (it was either 1999 or 2000, I don’t recall the year) in which Roger Fox turns to his wife, Andy, and says something to the effect of: “So, this is the future, huh? I would’ve thought we’d have flying cars by now… shouldn’t Martin Landau be on the Moon of something…”

Well, this is the future. No, there are no flying cars, and unless the news has been very quiet about it, I don’t think Martin Landau is on the Moon. Abe Vigoda is still alive though.

And I’ve been a graduate for a full week. What have I been doing for the last week, you might ask. Work. That, and battling allergies that are threatening to take me out of this life before I even take the GRE. Seriously, I have some much sinus pressure built up that I feel like one of those stress-reliever dolls that’s eyes bulge out when you squeeze it.

But life throws surprises at you all the time. Whether you surprise those around you by suddenly deciding to go on to grad school. Or whether you surprise yourself by suddenly deciding to go on to grad school.



Part II: The Right Call
As crazy as it sounds, I’m actually looking at the world in a different light. I realized the other day as I talked to some of the teenagers at my church that my decision to teach was the right one. They go to public schools, and, even with all that is going on in the news, they had no idea about the governmental changes in Russia. Not one of them knew about the staggering death toll in Myanmar. One of them even said that we should just nuke the terrorists and take the oil for ourselves.

I don’t fault these kids for their ignorance. They haven’t been taught to dig deeper. They’re trained to memorize information for a brief time, and then, after taking the test, dispose of it, clean out their memory banks, and prepare for a new batch of information. They have no concept of taking previously learned information and building a greater understanding by combining it with new knowledge. That’s the problem with teaching to the test, not teaching to the knowledge. And even then, you can’t truly blame the teachers. The education system is built on test scores and memorization, not understanding. If you know that Hitler was a mass-murdering jerk who died, why bother understanding the motivating factors behind his political ideals and aspirations?

Part III: Politics
This should come out of left field, but I think at some point in my life I’m going to run for office. Not because I have any particular political ambition, but because someone needs to go to Washington and make some noise. I always hear about politicos not rocking the boat. I really think that the boat needs to be capsized, sunk, and then salvaged and rebuilt. I also think that it’s never too late to effect great change. Throughout the years, generation after generation has had its struggles, and each one effected change in some form or another.

Part IV: Books
This will be my summer of reading. I’m in the middle of Stephen King’s Dark Tower Series, and it is fantastic beyond telling. I’m also looking forward to the release of the final book in the Star Wars: Legacy of the Force series.

Part V: Movies
There are way too many movies coming out this year that I want to see. Some, of course, are already out:
Iron Man
The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
The Dark Knight
Just to name a few.

Part VI: What to do...
Lots. Oh, and I still have to start that doctoral thesis at some point...

Post-Grad Existence

The day has come and gone. Graduation night, May 2008. I now understand why Robert said that the post-graduation entry was the toughest to write. The myriad feelings, emotions, and excitements can hardly be described. We’re now an entire weekend removed from the event, and it’s still difficult to describe.

The day started with an arrival at North Georgia College & State University, for the last time as an undergraduate. I met up with Lauren and Colin, two people with whom I was to graduate, and of course, Michele and Angela. For those of you not in the know, or not on Facebook, Angela and I are married.

We stood outside in cap and gown regalia, the full gravity of the situation slowly settling in. In two hours time, we would be done. Finished with our undergraduate studies… forever. Until you actually graduate college, you won’t understand how big that is. Like Robert said, you’re expected to graduate form High School. In fact, not graduating from High School is the academic equivalent of Epic Fail. But college is different. Graduating college proves that you wanted it. You earned it. You fought for years to achieve it.

And so we stood. We talked. We laughed. We took pictures (in the picture above, that's me, far right). As the clock wound down to 6:15pm, we began the walk to our designated line-up area. Colin and I were able to sit beside each other, but Lauren was unfortunately on the other side of the aisle from us. As we marched in, the excitement grew more and more palpable. Colin and I kept saying, “This is it. We’re graduating!”

We marched into the gym, Pomp & Circumstance all around. Taking our seats, the ceremony began. I watched as faculty members sat poised in regal robes. The best were Dr. Jespersen’s: a red-and-black number that was more Dark Lord of Sith than college professor.

Then came the moment. First the Military students were confirmed as graduates. Then, the Honors students. Finally, the riff-raff like myself were asked to stand. President Potter looked out over the crowd and confirmed us all as graduates of the University, with full rights and privileges as Alum. Like Robert once said, that moment hits you like a sack of bricks. We were done. All that was left was to actually walk up and receive our diplomas.

As my name was called and I shook hands with President Potter and then walked across the stage to shake hands with Dr. Bennett, my advisor, I was so shot-through with adrenaline that I forgot to turn my tassle. In fact, I didn’t even turn it until I was already off the stage. I told you, this moment was big. You tend to forget things in all the excitement.

After all the names were called, and the last student had crossed the stage, the procession out of the gym began. Freedom. We walked out, shaking hands with various professors, hugging our friends, knowing that things would never quite be the same again. And oh, the pictures that were taken!

I haven’t been photographed so much in all my life. Robert and Colin and I posed for what is possibly the most distinguished picture of me ever. I’ve got pictures with my Mom and Dad, both sets of grandparents, with Robert, Colin, Lauren, Michele, Cindy, Laura, and possibly a few people I’ve never met. That’s how it goes, I guess. Then, everyone began departing. That moment, to me, was the most bittersweet time of the night. We would never be together like that again.

So with the ceremony over and the crowd thinning out, Robert and I decided that it was time to eat. So, off to Caruso’s we went. Sadly, there was terrible karaoke happening in the next room, so our meal was not entirely enjoyable. After eating, and me saying “I’m done!” every fifteen minutes or so, we went back and walked around the drill field and the campus. I know it sounds cliché, but the place actually looked a little different.

Well, the ceremony ended at 8:15 Friday night. After spending time with many different friends, I finally arrived home at 4:15 Saturday morning, exhausted. The weekend was sort of a blur. I saw everyone again Saturday night, sans Robert and Angela, at a cookout at Lauren’s house. We sat and talked. We reminisced about old times. The rift of rock awesomeness was brought up a couple of times. We played ping-pong and darts. We laughed some more. We were celebrating the end of an era.

I can’t even describe how odd it is to sit here and say, “I don’t have to go back to class in August.” In fact, class probably won’t start again for me for about a year of so. I’m signed up to take the GRE with Robert in September. I also, at some point, have to take the GACE I and GACE II tests. Then, we apply for the Master of Arts in Teaching program, right back at North Georgia. It’s amazing, in a way. A month ago I wasn’t entirely sure what I wanted to do with my life. I had ideas, of course, but as for a plan… well, nothing had really materialized. Then, something snapped and I said, “I want to teach college.” So, I’m on the road to a Masters degree and eventually a Doctorate. This, then, is the plan of the world’s greatest academic procrastinator.

Ceasefire: Part II

Tomorrow is the big day. It’s the day that everything before now has been leading to. It’s the day that I’ve fought for since High School ended. Tomorrow… I graduate college.

I’ve been thinking the past few days about what my time at North Georgia College and State University has meant to me. There’s an old saying: “If I had it all to do again…” Well, I wouldn’t change anything. The choices that I made over time brought some of the most wonderful people into my life. The struggles I’ve encountered have most certainly made me stronger. I think I’m ready for the next stage in my life.

As I finished the last final exam I had to take as an undergraduate, the noise in my head seemed to stop. The Ceasefire, as I called it. The end, which had been looming so ominously on the horizon, was no longer near; the end had come, and I had strolled right past it to a new beginning. Although the official ceremony is not until tomorrow night, I was already there. I had made it. I had… survived.

I had survived the grueling semesters with 20-hour course loads. I had survived paper after paper, and of course, those papers grew longer as I progressed through the years. I had survived the worst professor I have even had the privilege of being in class with. I had survived (somewhat) standing up to the Dean of Arts & Letters before an entire class of Juniors and Seniors. I survived the wait as the final grades began trickling in.

Now, I'm ready. Tomorrow is big. Really big. So big, it's tough to comprehend. But tomorrow does not just mark the end of college. Grad school calls. Maybe I should go on and start on that doctoral thesis...

Ceasefire: simplicity

On the television show M*A*S*H, in the final episode, the doctors of the four-oh-double-seven are operating away on wounded soldiers, listening to a war report on the radio. The calm-steady voice of the reporter is broken by gun fire, which abruptly stops. The reports says something to the effect of, "There it is. The ceasefire."

This sensation fairly accurately describes how I felt today. You see, I took my last undergraduate final exam today. I graduate in less than a week. But for the last couple of semesters I've basically wandered the campus, talking to myself, and being the typical Jaded Senior.

And as I walked out of the room where I had taken the final, a smile broke across my face. The gun fire, or in my case, the pseudo-schizophrenic ramblings of a troubled English major mind, came to a halt. For once the air was calm.

I was done. I don't have to take another class as an undergraduate.
I think Happy Dog says it best. Good night, and may God bless.

Sports Strikes Back

The NFL Draft starts at 3pm Saturday. I love this day. It's like Christmas for me. Draft Day, on my calendar, is usually as open as possible. Except tomorrow. The draft starts at 3pm, my final exam starts at 3:30pm.

So, in honor of the best day of the non-football season, I bring you the Right Wing 2008 NFL mock draft Top Ten picks.

1. Miami Dolphins: Jake Long OT Michigan
Synopsis: Good deal for Miami, if Long is the proper fit. He already has a five-year, $57-million deal in place. Good deal for Long.

2. St. Louis Rams: Chris Long DE Virginia
Synopsis: This pick is tough for St. Louis. There’s trade talk swirling here. New Orleans wants to move up for Glenn Dorsey, as does Cincinnati. I think, though, that neither team meets the Rams asking price for the No. 2 slot.

3. Atlanta Falcons: Glenn Dorsey DT LSU
Synopsis: Atlanta has so many holes that it’s hard to know where to start. QB Matt Ryan is also a target here, should the Rams either take Dorsey or trade away No. 2 to New Orleans.

4. Oakland Raiders: Darren McFadden RB Arkansas
Synopsis: Oakland needs a strong runner who isn’t afraid to run north-south, instead of east-west. McFadden has some character issues, but that doesn’t bother Oakland at all.

5. Kansas City Chiefs: Vernon Gholston DE Ohio State
Synopsis: The Chiefs just traded away DE Jared Allen, and they need a presence player again. Gholston fits that mold for them.

6. New York Jets: Brandon Albert OG Virginia
Synopsis: Solid pick, probably the best thing the JETS can do.

7. New England Patriots: Sedrick Ellis LB USC
Synopsis: New England continues to grow in talent, adding a very good linebacker from USC.

8. Baltimore Ravens: Matt Ryan QB Boston College
Synopsis: The Atlanta Falcons could take Ryan earlier, but I don’t think they will. Baltimore wants a franchise quarterback to replace McNair, and Ryan fits the bill.

9. Cincinnati Bengals: Derrick Harvey DE Florida
Synopsis: Fast SEC-style defensive end. Cincinnati seems to like the SEC when it comes to defensive players.

10: New Orleans Saints: Leodis McKelvin CB Troy
Synopsis: New Orleans, unable to trade up for Dorsey, will grab the closest thing to a shut down corner this draft has to offer.


Other Ramblings:

-Rumor is Atlanta will package two of its three second round picks and move back up into the later first round to grab either Brian Brohm or Joe Flacco, either of which could provide them the franchise QB name they need.

-The Falcons are dealing from a position of power in this draft, holding eleven total picks, 4 of which are in the first 48 selections. No other teams has so much clout so close to the top. If the new regime in the Falcon front office plays this draft right, the foundation could finally be built for a winning team.

-Dallas put their team reputation on the line, parting with a fourth-round pick for Adam “Pacman” Jones, the troubled CB. It’ll be interesting to see what Tennessee does with the pick.

-This draft could see more draft day trades than recent years, mostly because there are no consensus top picks, but everyone has fairly even strength boards, so teams will jockey for the players that best fit their needs.


- Where certain players will go:
This section will name a player, what pick selection range he will fall into, and the likeliest teams to get him, in order of likelihood.
Rashard Mendenhall, RB Illinois…17-24…Philadelphia, Houston, KC
Tashard Choice, RB Georgia Tech…75-84…Detroit, Arizona, Washington
Brian Brohm, QB Louisville…28-35…Atlanta, Baltimore, New York Jets
Marcus Howard, DE Georgia…97-103…Atlanta, Miami, St. Louis
Colt Brennan, QB Hawai’i…160-180…Oakland, Chicago, Detroit
Chad Henne, QB Michigan…58-68…Jacksonville, St. Louis, Atlanta
Joe Flacco, QB Delaware…36-43…Atlanta, Carolina, Buffalo

Duhhhhh: Senior Moments

so, another late night, another blog post.
I just have to share this with you. I read it today, and it is apparently a real story from somewhere around Jacksonville, Florida.

An elderly lady was walking out of a grocery store when she realized that four men were stealing her car. She dropped her bags, pulled her handgun out of her purse, and shouted, "Get away from the car!"

The men panicked and ran way. The lady gathered her bags, shaken, and sat in the car, trying desperately to get the key in the ignition. After a few minutes of ineffective key-to-iginition interface, the lady lookeda round and saw a 12-pack of beer and a frisbee in the back seat, none of which belonged to her.

She exited the car and found her own vehicle a few spaces down. She shamedly got in and drove to the local police station and admitted her mistake. The officer on duty pointed down the counter, where stood four men complaining about a crazy old lady who had tried to carjack them.

The situation was smoothed over and no charges were filed. The moral to the story: if you're going to have a senior moment, make it memorable.

Independence

"Posterity, you will never know how much it cost the present generation to preserve your freedom. I hope you will make good use of it. If you do not, I shall repent in heaven that ever I took half the pains to preserve it." - John Adams

If there is one thing above another that I can point to as the driving force in my sudden change of mind regarding Grad school, it is the previous quote. The John Adams miniseries on HBO made me realize hos much History we have, and can teach, but we don't because it is not convenient for whatever agenda the medium in which it is taught holds.

I'm finding myself more and more each day desiring to teach History. It's not my major, but that's okay; it is my minor, and I'm fairly well versed in a wide swath of History. Also, I can teach Lit and Writing if necessary. I can tell you without hesitation that this blog does not represent the pinnacle of my writing ability.

I've written semi-historical posts before. I simply find history fascinating. They say, and again, who is they?, that if we fail to learn the lessons of history then we are doomed to repeat them.

I fear that the United States, as a nation, is headed for such a failure, if we haven't reached it already. Many scholars have been attributed the following quote, but who said it is far less important than the truth behind it:
"A democracy cannot exist as a permanent form of government. It can only exist until the voters discover that they can vote themselves largess of the public treasury. From that time on the majority always votes for the candidates promising the most benefits from the public treasury, with the results that a democracy always collapses over loose fiscal policy, always followed by a dictatorship. The average age of the world's great civilizations has been 200 years. These nations have progressed through this sequence:from bondage to spiritual faith; from spiritual faith to great courage; from courage to liberty; from liberty to abundance; from abundance to selfishness; from selfishness to complacency; from complacency to apathy; from apathy to dependency; from dependency back again to bondage."

The United States is already over 230 years old, and it seems that each year the only candidates who gain election are those who offer more and more money from the public treasury. Let's break down the quote just a bit.

from bondage to spiritual faith: the original colonies, bound to Great Britain, rallied around their desire for religious freedom.

from spiritual faith to great courage: those Colonies, with their spirituality intact, began to rise up, rallying around the militias and the Continental Congress

from courage to liberty: That support of the militias, and the unfettered outrage of the Colonists over unfair taxation, led to irrevocable separation from the power of the Crown

from liberty to abundance: at first, the States were not exactly prosperous. They slowly gained their financial freedom, gaining true self-sufficiency over time.

from abundance to selfishness: The self-sufficiency grew to greed, as is common among man as they gain wealth. The same goes for power, and for that I point to Washington D.C. as an example. Politicians, and those with extreme wealth, will do all they can to both hold on to their status of wealth and power, and to accumulate more.

from selfishness to complacency: The greed of those with power led to a state in which the US thought it was free from intrigue or attack. This step has essentially happened twice, once on December 7, 1941 at Pearl Harbor, and later on September 11, 2001, when Al Qaida launched the worst terrorsit attack in history. Both of these incidents are considered wake-up calls for Americans.

from complacency to apathy: Even though we've been "woken up" to the events of the world around us, we seem to quickly fall into an apathetic state. Already, even though we know that radical terrorist groups exist, the belief that ignoring the problem, or simply appeasing the problem, will make it go away. The lesson of Hitler has already been lost, in just 70 short years.

from apathy to dependency: As the nations waxes apathetic, we grow dependent on government to sustain us. The more liberal aspects of the Democratic party would create and mostly socialist state in the country, causing total dependency on government. The Republican party fares no better on the government dependency test. The original founders saw a nation with a strong central government made up by strong state governments. Currently, the state governments are growing weaker and weaker and the people are becoming more and more beholden to the federal system.

from dependency back again to bondage: I can't say where the bondage would come from. I don't know if the people would be bound to the federal government, or if a rival nation could gain enough global strength to overcome our great nation. I do know this: the quote is so far ringing true, and this last step is seemingly inevitable.

I guess you're thinking that this is depressing news, eh? It doesn't have to be. We simply have to recall the lessons of history. We must know why Rome, Greece, Babylon, and Macedonia didn't survive as nations? We have to recognize that appeasing an enemy only emboldens them, it does not make them stop.

We also have to recall the lessons of our Founding Fathers. Unfair taxation led to revolution. The next revolution in this country will probably not be as bloody, but the lessons are there to be learned, and I think my calling might be in teaching them.

The John Adams quote at the beginning of this article hit me very hard. This nation has lost sight of what was done to give us freedom. Hopefully we have not lost so much that Adams has already repented...

The Are You Smarter Than the Surreal American Deal World

The precipice is upon us, or rather, we are upon it.
I know what you're thinking. Jeez, Blake's making a big deal out of this graduation thing, isn't he? Yeah, I am. I'm about to be like the thousands who have come before me, but I'm different, as is everyone, in that unique "we're all snowflakes" sense of grandeur. But, the picture speaks volumes.

I've gone farther than anyone else in my family. And now, I'm at that precipice that Robert and so many others have already crossed. It's been an almost Indiana Jones-like journey. I've had to steal idols from the booby-trapped desks of professors (not really). I've had to pass mutliple tests to prove my academic worth (really). And now I've made it to here. I've got to admit, this little rickety rope-bridge spanning the gap from college to the "real world" doesn't look too secure. I'm wondering if it's there to help you cross, or to hang yourself with.

I've changed over the last two semesters. I've changed a lot. Just since Valentine's Day I've lost nearly thirty pounds. I've gained loads of confidence in myself thanks to three very lovely women and a very large man with a goatee (no, Colin, you're not very large, I just used very to describe them, felt I should use it on you as well). These people have been instrumental in my change.

I've cruised this semester, taking only one class, the only class I need to graduate. I can feel it, now. It's just another date on the calendar, one that, for millions of people will go by without much fanfare, but for me, it's huge.

I've fought for years to get here. I've basically crossed mountains and rivers to find my way to a small stage in a not-very-big gymnasium on a Friday night in May. Two of the four people mentioned above will cross that stage with me. They're not English majors, but I've forgiven them for that. Then comes the summer...

Summer 2008 should be full of surprises. That whole new job hunt thing begins in earnest. And Robert's gonna say "I told you so.." but I am truly starting to consider grad school as a possible future. Although, I'm not sure exactly what I'd do. If I were to go after a teaching job, it would not be in my major, but rather my minor: History.

I still want to get into sports PR work, or even eventually have my own radio talk show. Who knows, I may even try out for Jeopardy?

I know one thing for certain: I'm not going to work at Hallmark or at a Pet Hospital. Robert, you know there's humor there... I'm also not going to work at Best Buy. I'm not saying I'm better than these jobs, but I think at college diploma says rather well that I am, in fact, better than these jobs. There's nothing wrong with working them, but they are not my career ambition.

Career ambition is really not something I've ever had, until these last few weeks. I think I want to make the Right Wing into a radio show, covering sports and politics. The mixture would work, as that is all talk radio is, essentially.



So change is coming, it can't be avoided. We all go through it. Robert survived, so did Grubbs, or at least we think he did. Now, I face the trial. Robert, you're prediction may come true. Grad school could be in the future, but right now, that's all it can be, the future. Change is coming.

Change is coming.

Strumsticks: New Bands in my Life

As most of you will have realized by my last post, I play guitar. I've always talked about playing guitar, and I've actually had a friend who thought I was one of those guys who always talked about guitar, and actually owned one, but never played.

Well, now I've picked up a new instrument: the strumstick. It's a member of the guitar family, though far smaller and has only three strings. The sound is distinctly folk, almost country, but in the right hands the strumstick might as well be an angelic harp.

That's not to say that mine are the right hands, they're far from, but I can rip a fierce "Scotland the Brave" on it.

So, the strumstick is new to me, but it feels right.

So, new bands in my life...
Sparky's Flaw: These guys opened for O.A.R. the other night at the concert at the college. Really awesome stuff, and the guys were pretty cool, too. Check 'em out on YouTube. The songs "All That I Am" and the new song are particularly good.

Something Corporate: True, mainstream pop rock, but just let the piano kick in and you'll understand why...

White Stripes: I don't listen to a lot of FM radio, and apparently this group's been kicking around for a while. But I happened upon the video for "You Don't Know What Love Is" the other day and fell completely and totally enamored.

Okay, short post, but you'll get more later...

Graduation: The Rift of Rock Awesomeness

Graduation looms. Two weeks from today, actually.
I've been in this game a long time. Now, the end draws near, and I'm not sure if I want to welcome it or run and hide from it.

So, I'm sitting here looking at the calendar (not literally) and wondering where all the time went. It seems like just yesterday that I was walking across the stage and being handed my High School Diploma. Now that's ancient history.

So Wednesday I had nothing to do in class. I didn't take any books, just my guitar. Now, I'd like to think that most college students are at least somewhat educated, so it came as a bit of a surprise when I heard this question mutliple times:
"Hey, is that yours?"
"Nope. Took it from a guy."

But really, I found a nice quiet place on campus, lightly wooded, bit of a hill, and I just sat on the grass and began playing. The only thing I can figure is that the exact location I chose was a Rift of Rock Awesomeness.

I came to this conclusion because everything I played got better and better. I could do no wrong. I could hit no wrong note. I've never played so well. I walked around all day playing, and it was a beautiful day for guitar. The sun was shining brightly, the birds were sing annoyingly. The breeze was blowing just right.

Rock Awesomeness was achieved.

So, Graduation. Two weeks. Fear and excitement. Dread and utter joy.
I'm going to miss the people I've been with for the last few years. I really will. These last few semesters have been the best I've ever had. I have the best friends a guy could possibly ask for. And now things are going to change. I'm staying here, and watching the world go around me.

Meanwhile, Colin and Lauren are going to Grad School, ostensibly. Heck, Michele is leaving the country (albeit for only six weeks, but still). Angela will be far away, most likely. There really is no possible way for me to express the love I have for these people. They've been there for me when no one else seemed to be... and I can only hope I was able to be there for them.

Now it seems like the calendar is turning it's pages faster than ever. If this were a ship, I'd be fighting some serious waves at the moment. I'm torn between wanting this ride to end and wanting another run at it. Robert over at Skewed says I'll be in grad school within five years. Who knows? At one time I could say with a fair amount of certainty that I wouldn't ever go, but now I can't.

But I realized a need a cause. I've not really stood for anything in my 26 years. I mean, I've got my politics, and my religion, and my own desires, but as far as a cause, I'm fairly causeless.
So that seems to me my next task. I'll find a "real" job, I'll get an apartment, a new car, all the typical stuff that, but I'll look deep within myself, and find that thing that I need to stand for.

I'll gain my purpose, in essence.

And since it fell unto my lot,
that I should rise and you should not,
I'll gently rise and softly call,
Good Night and Joy be to You All.

Really....?

The Greatest Generation

For those of you who have no memory of either history or taking history classes while in school... or if you never saw the movie Saving Private Ryan... I'd like to take a moment and discuss with you the Greatest Generation.

World War II was fought, from an American perspective, from 1941 to 1945, although the Europeans mostly consider the start date to rest in 1939 and the Asian Theater began operations as early as 1935. Millions died. Millions were wounded. What is essentially the single most devastating pre-9/11 terrorist attack is what drew the United States into the war, as 2,700-plus Americans were killed at Pearl Harbor.

As the soldiers of the United States rose to meet the call to arms, the nation rallied behind them. While the Big Red One was marching through Kasserine Pass, men and women from all across the nation were descending on Mobile and other port cities to help build ships for the war effort.

I've said before that if the United States armed forces had carried embedded reporters as they do now, the Normandy invasion would likely never have happened, especially after everything fell apart so horribly on Omaha Beach. As it stands, D-Day can be considered the turning point of the global conflict.

So, back to the Greatest Generation. This title has been applied to those who lived through the second World War, those who fought, died, survived, worked, farmed, those who kept this nation afloat during great calamity.

I understand the meaning behind it, and I really don't have a problem with it per se. The principle of the matter, though, is as follows: We've been told for the last few years that, since the World War II generation is the greatest generation, that we can never match up with them. Essentially, entire generations since then have been told "you'll never be as good."

I can't support that sentiment. Sure, the World War II generation deserves loads of respect. They were still battling out of depression. Then, war came. So, yeah, they did great things.

But to label them as the "greatest generation" is akin to insulting every generation before and since. Thank you, soldiers in the "war on terror," but you'll never bee what these people were. Thanks, founding fathers, for having the bravery to stand up to Britain, putting your lives on the line and declaring us free, but it still doesn't amount to what the World War II generation did. Nice try, though.

The Reagan babies, no chance. You tried a trickle down economy, not even close to defying a global evil. You don't even get an A for effort.

What I'm trying to say is this: let's hold off calling any generation the greatest. It tells every other generation that, no matter how hard they try, they'll never be good enough.

From the Mouth of Babes...

I go to a small Baptist church. Occasionally we plan a church-wide lunch or dinner after the service. Last Sunday was one of those days. We had a huge lunch planned. Some friends of mine showed up with their two kids, the youngest of which is a scant two months old.

Now first understand this: I’m usually pretty good with babies. I’ve actually already been told that I’ll make a good father, but I don’t want to think about that right now, and while I thank those who say that… well, let’s hold off on the father talk, okay?

Anyway, I’m standing around when they walk in and shortly thereafter I find myself holding two-month old Ethan. It’s at this point that a series of fun events began to unfold around me.

First, two of the younger adults I go to church with walk in with a friend of theirs, a nice looking young woman, probably no more than 25 or 26 years of age, who is holding one of those baby carrier things. She sees me holding Ethan and, I can only guess that this is what goes through her mind, thinks: hey, someone like me, I should talk to them. I need to say this as a caveat to the rest of this story: I get nervous when single women talk to me, not because I don’t know how to act, but rather there is someone I care about and I think we may have something with each other and I sure as heck don’t want to screw it up.

So, she walks up and looks first at Ethan, then at me, as if trying to determine familiar relation, and then says, “He’s adorable. How old is he?”

I stammer out the reply, “He’s two or three months…” To which she gives me a look of semi-abject terror and says, “You don’t know how old your own child is?”

I chuckled and responded, “Oh, he’s not mine.” She smiled, seemingly ashamed of having leapt to the conclusion, but I didn't mind. Marcus, the guy I go to church with who had invited her, stepped up and said, "Well, you do look natural with him."
The only reply I had for that was: "Yeah, but there needs to be a girlfriend and a wedding, and probably a few years of a well-paying job before kids come along."

We laughed off the incident and went about our day. Well, moments later Ethan begins to cry. I’m not talking about your everyday run-of-the-mill baby crying either; this was full-on sobbing. This was the crying where every other cry doesn't even make a sound. He began to work his mouth in a way that suggested he was hungry.

Now, being a man, I am not equipped to provide this child with the needed sustenance. I even said that to his father, who said in return, “Okay, give him to me.” To which I said, “I’m pretty sure you can’t help him, either.”

He replied, “No, but I know who can.”

And that, kids, is my baby story for the world...