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.
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Monday, August 25, 2008
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?
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?
Friday, August 22, 2008
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.
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.
Friday, August 08, 2008
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!
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!
Wednesday, August 06, 2008
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
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
Monday, August 04, 2008
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!
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!
Friday, August 01, 2008
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)
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)
Saturday, July 12, 2008
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?
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?
Thursday, July 10, 2008
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?
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?
Saturday, June 14, 2008
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.
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.
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
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...
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...
Sunday, May 25, 2008
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...
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...
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...
Thursday, May 22, 2008
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.
-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.
Monday, May 19, 2008
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.
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.
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
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…
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.
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.
Sunday, May 11, 2008
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!
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!
Saturday, May 10, 2008
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...
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...
Monday, May 05, 2008
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.
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