Say It Ain't So....

Good afternoon to all,

Well, it seems as if the end to an era is in the works, as it was announced that both the New York Yankees, and the New York Mets have received approval to pursue development plans for new stadiums! HUH?! To coin a kid's words when he found out his baseball idol Shoeless Joe Jackson was accused of cheating, "say it ain't so!". Now I find myself saying those same words with a heaviness in my heart. Could it be that time has run out for Yankee Stadium, "The House that Ruth Built"?

For those of you who don't have the slightest idea who the heck "Ruth" is, it's ok, baseball isn't played everywhere, but the Ruth I'm speaking of is none other than Babe Ruth, the "Sultan of Swat", the "King of Swing", "The Babe", "Ol' Number 3", perhaps the greatest baseball player of all time, Yankee Stadium was built upon his achievements, and still holds his legacy and history within it's very mortar, pillars, and seats. The picture I chose for this blog entry is of The Babe, taken at his final moment in Yankee Stadium, wearing his old colors and number, standing strong but weary as he was being honored by the crowd, weakened by cancer which had attacked his body, eyes looking ever forward, head bowed a bit solemnly, leaning on a bat for stability, but still the subject of such awe, still a deliverer of dreams to so many kids who had ever dreamed about one day being a New York Yankee, Babe Ruth never let the fans down, especially the kids. There are stories told about him buying hot dogs for ten, twenty, thirty kids at a time, who had ran over to congratulate him for hitting a home run, including a few for himself before he returned to the dugout bench. Something you'd never see with the "you're lucky to be here to see me" attitudes of todays sports stars.

Yankee Stadium, sure it's 82 years old, sure other lesser teams have brand new snazzy ballparks with roofs that move, trains, fountains, and other kitsch, but do they have the history? Nope, not even a little. To walk into the place is the closest any fan of baseball will ever come to their brush with the figures of so many stories they've heard, names such as Ruth, Gehrig, Mantle, Maris, DiMaggio, Berra, and so many others have taken the field there. For a moment when you sit down, it's almost a scene from the movie "Field of Dreams", as you can almost see the ghosts of those great baseball players who have passed, still rounding the bases, you can hear the shouts of crowds punctuated by the shouts of hot dog vendors from decades ago, still yelling "Haut dawg! Gitcha haut dawg heyah!". It's captivating, smile provoking, and exciting all at once, even before the game starts. The stadium is what I can only describe as one of the last standing true cathedrals to the game of baseball, though not the last and only, surely the only one I consider the greatest. The sights, the sounds, the smells, it's a one of a kind place.

So often I've heard mention of the great stadiums of the past coming down, reduced to rubble, along with the magic of the games played in them, then come the regrets, people realize they have built the new at the expense of the magic, and it's gone forever. I sit here shaking my head to think such a thing could happen again, not once but twice!

Though I'm rambling on about Yankee Stadium, the historic stadium of the Mets, Shea Stadium, is also on the chopping block. Sheesh! Is nothing sacred? The Beatles played there! The team of the 1969 so-called "Amazin Mets" played there, it too has the magic. Does anyone remember the former home of the Brooklyn Dodgers, Ebbets Field which was torn down in 1960? Do a search on Google under the search term "Ebbets Field", and you'll see sites created by people who are still describing the place as "Brooklyn's Lost Shrine". I predict the same when Yankee and Shea Stadiums are gone, goodbye "House that Ruth Built", hello "House that Television Rights Revenue Built", it somehow just doesn't have the same ring to it, and somehow even for this longtime New York Yankees fan, it will take me a while before I could bring myself to attend a game in a new place. Sure I'm not in the city at this time, but when I go, I'm not anticipating running over to the new stadium, at most I'll probably place a single rose on the spot where the old stadium once stood, saying a few words to the Babe and the guys, telling them I haven't forgotten them, and how much I'll miss their pre-game laps around the bases that I could so easily visualize.

I can't believe how depressing this news was when I heard it moments ago, it's hard to think of replacing the sort of place where a grandfather or even a great-grandfather took their sons or daughters to see their first game, who grew up to take their sons or daughters to a game in the same place, who grew up to take their sons or daughters to their first game..... etc., you know what I mean. I always pictured taking my son or daughter to a game in Yankee Stadium, buying them their first NY hat, bringing our baseball gloves in hopes of catching a ball, telling stories along the way to the ballgame, pointing out seats with a history, and giving them a chance to fall in love with the old place as much as I have. Sheesh, I need some cheering up, so I guess I'll go eat a hot dog, hug my cat and tell him stories of Yankee Stadium, since I have no family or children of my own yet to tell. Heck, If I had known somethin' like this was gonna happen, I might have set out to start a family sooner. *LOL

Don't Have a Cow!

Good morning,

We've all heard about mad cow, but how about a particular cow who performed a "jailbreak" of sorts, escaping from a Montana beef processing plant? Probably not. However, meet "Molly B." (pictured on left), who locals named after "The Unsinkable Molly Brown who survived the doomed oceanliner Titanic, and who might be the most resourceful and life-loving cow you'll ever see.

It seems ol' Molly sparked a manhunt... err... I mean cowhunt, where people were told to be on the lookout for a mature female, (reportedly unarmed but delicious) Black Angus cow, with no plans to one day become part of a menu, who broke out of the pen (at the processing plant), by jumping a 5' 5" fence, leading plant workers on a 6 hour chase, that included her sneaking along the streets of a small nearby town, hiding behind houses, and eventually wading across a river to her freedom. Wow, that sure brings flashbacks of the movie "The Shawshank Redemption". *LOL

Don't worry, this story has a happy ending, as I'm happy to say her will to live gained the respect of processing plant workers and townspeople, and it's been announced she will not go back to the processing plant. She will live out the rest of her natural life grazing in a pasture and doing other fun cow stuff. Most townspeople smiled and cheered at the good news for Molly, though there were a few hardcases out there who said "send her back!" (no worries, there's always a few in a crowd) Workers at the plant said she did many things they had never seen a cow do, it was clear she wanted to live, and they'd honor her wish.

All of that might be a good story in and of itself, but was it just herself that Molly wanted to save? Nope, it appears that Molly the Cow might be expecting a little cow of her own, which I think makes the story even better, as it's one of those amazing things about life and the world in which we live.

I sure wish this cow and her little cow lots of happiness, or pastures of grass, or whatever it is that makes a cow content, what a remarkable animal. Go cow go!

Bush: Anti-war = Treason

Good morning,

Just moments ago, I heard something that I thought was just crazy, It seems President Bush (aka. "Finger Man" as he loves to "whoop out" that middle finger more than Eminem on a bad day) seems to consider anyone who is against the war in Iraq to be flirting with treason. His latest warning to the dissenting voice of Democrats and people against the war, saying "to watch what they say or risk giving comfort to our adversaries". Take a look at Article III, Section 3 of our Constitution:

Section 3:

Treason against the United States, shall consist only in levying war against them, or in adhering to their enemies, giving them aid and comfort. No person shall be convicted of treason unless on the testimony of two witnesses to the same overt act, or on confession in open court.

Now, don't get me wrong, I'm not in favor of anyone giving comfort to any enemy of this great nation of ours, nor am I in favor of seeing demonstrators flying the flag of a country we're at war with, wearing costumes, painting their faces like they're on their way to a football game, and those who go limp at the slightest touch of a law enforcement official, being carted off with a silly grin on their face. That sort of thing drives me crazy as I can't believe the direction some people will take a protest. Can't they see how average everyday people, who might also be against the war, see them on the evening news and think them to be a buncha kooks? Their message becomes lost in the show for attention. Still, as a person with a deep love for this, my country, I believe in the right for people to peacefully protest, even if I don't believe in their method of going about it. According to the First Amendment of the Constitution, it seems the founding fathers also believed in such a right:

First Amendment to the Constitution:

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press, or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

I don't really know what to think about "Bush's warning", the wording was just too vague to know who he was actually intending to warn, but if someone is doing something to support the cause of the insurgency in Iraq, or any enemy of this country then I can see his point, and those people deserve a good warning and much more, but if his comments were addressed to everyone, just average citizens out there who are expressing feelings against the war in Iraq, asking questions or making statements about how they feel, or if those comments were addressed to members of another political party who are making his agenda difficult, then I can't possibly see the constitutional soundness of him making that statement warning the people to watch what they say.

In a country as big as ours, we don't always agree with one another, but it is our guaranteed freedom of speech that serves to keep channels of communication open, allowing us to air our differences. Such discourse allows for positive change within our country, shaping itself to the times in which we live. Removal of the right to free speech can only mean a singular voice will be most widely heard, but will we like what it is saying? I heard a quote where someone once said "the things we miss most, are the things we took most for granted", and I think they were right. Will the right of the people to disagree with our elected officials, be one of those things we took for granted until it was one day gone, or so watered down that our opinions no longer matter? I certainly hope not.

Just to make things clear, my views are that of a person who has family members and friends serving in Iraq. I believe it is possible to support the troops and have questions about the war at the same time. My only wish is for them to all come home safely and soon. That's the reason behind the things I say, I worry about my family members and friends, and can understand the concerns of so many other families out there who I have not met.

NO "comforting" goin on here.

Camaro Making a Comeback!

Good morning!

In some particularly good news I heard, the GM Camaro is said to be nearly ready to stage a comeback, after being gone for so many years, and it's coming back retromodern! Just look at it, (the picture at left), you just gotta love it, sleek, fast, and moderately priced. Whatta combination!

Now, don't tell anyone I'm saying these things because by tradition, I've been a Ford Mustang person for years, but I've always admired the true Camaro's of the late 1960's, of which the new one seems to be designed to remind. Could it be that Ford's retromodern styled Mustang (which I think looks great) will have some competition? Could it be a rebirth of the muscle and pony car wars? I sure hope so, as it can only mean lots of fun for car lovers. I know it might be a while before I can afford one of these, but heck I can dream about it for a few years until the price comes down on the used ones. (I'll start saving my pennies already) *LOL

Are there any Camaro or Mustang fans out there?
Let me know what you think!

Ariel Sharon

Good afternoon,
hope your day is going well.

One thing that has captured my attention lately, is the condition of Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, after suffering two strokes, heart surgery, and a myriad of other complications. Now, I don't pretend to know much about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, as information about the situation tends to vary upon who is giving it, mostly along party lines here in the USA, and along other cultural, and religious beliefs in other places. I don't know what Sharon has contributed historically to his side of the cause, but I do know a little about waking up after surgery, that's why this blog entry will be mostly about my wishing him well in his recovery.

Though I rarely give particulars about myself online, because quite frankly I wonder who actually wants to know about me when there's so much going on in the world, but for sake of reference I guess it wouldn't hurt to tell one of my stories. It happened a few years ago, when I was involved in a very bad car accident. I was in a vehicle that was struck by a drunk driver, where I went through the windshield, ending up partly still inside the car, partly on the hood of the car. I went to two hospitals, one where a particularly bad surgical intern told me "stay away from mirrors", when I asked him how I looked and how bad it was (my family got me the heck out of there), and the other where a smiling asian surgeon actually got out of bed to come to the hospital, telling me "you don't worry, everything is going to be alright, you'll be good as new". I went through surgery to repair the cuts to my face, and even my tongue, waking up after three days of being asleep. Nope, no dreams or anything during that time, just a reluctant waking to the pain, though it was music being played by my family that brought me back, I still remember hearing it almost like it was playing far in the distance. I didn't want to see anyone during my recovery, for fear of how I might look with the stitches and all, plus I would spend hours at a time re-teaching myself to say the "S" sound. The injury to my tongue left me saying something that sounded alot like "eth", I was sure determined not to be lispy, and it was tough but it all finally worked out, I speak normally and the stitches healed with little sign of any injury to my face, the doctor had kept his word, and all was good as new. I still say a prayer each night for that doctor who helped me, he was the voice of reason during what was a particularly dark time in my life, and gave me hope.

I don't for a second attempt to make presumptions in comparing my injuries to that which is afflicting the prime minister, his situation is far more serious than anything I've ever encountered or can imagine. It's just that I heard his doctors have decided to bring him out of his medically induced coma, wherein his pain is sure to begin, along with his discovery that things such as speech might not work as they did before. It's going to be a tough time for him, but if he has faith both in himself and in what he most strongly believes, he can make it through. I was thinking about all of this when I heard all the news reports about his condition, the numerous surgical procedures he was going through, and even some of the uncompassionate words being said about it all. I was offended, not only as a person who has a belief in God, but as a person of the world, by the ignorant comments made by televangelist Pat Robertson, who suggested that it was God who delivered the stroke and grave circumstances to Mr. Sharon. Flashbacks of that crummy doctor came back, and it was as if I could almost see his face again, as he laughed after he said what he said. Yes, it's true, he actually laughed, there are truly bad doctors out there. To those who go out of their way to be heartless in regards to the suffering of others, I believe by law of averages in occurrence it's likely they'll one day experience the same. We've all seen some sort of poetic justice that happens from time to time to teach someone a lesson, so by all odds perhaps it's possible, though I sure wouldn't wish that upon anyone, even the worst of them all. It is beyond my understanding how someone can live with the fact that they've shown such behavior, I guess it's because I know in my heart that if it were me being cruel, the guilt would eat at me slowly through all my years. I don't think I could do it. Maybe as a precaution, I'm writing this here today so that sometime in the future if the circumstances of life serve to harden my heart, I might be able to come back here to read how I was, and felt about the matter, one day in January of 2006. If only Pat Robertson had taken the time to write how he felt before the money and power, or whatever affliction has taken over his way of thinking, he too might be able to remember and have a way back.

All I can say is I wish the best for the prime minister, and for anyone out there who might be suffering, I don't believe nor will I ever believe that God did that to them, and I'll hope they make it through their toughest of times. It's moments like those that sometimes teach us the most about ourselves, and give us some of the most lasting of life's lessons. To make it through, means to come to terms with our own individual limitations, or to recognize our greatest of possibilities, all it takes is time and force of will..... and of course a little faith in whatever the person believes worthy of putting their faith in, it all helps. My hope is that Mr. Sharon has the time to make those discoveries, and to live longer for the sake of his family and those in his country who love and respect him. May his recovery be without too much discomfort, and may the people of Israel and the world know that all people from America don't share the same views as some of our most vocal crazy people who make headlines with their bad behavior, dim-wit, and ill manner. God speed, and best wishes, always.

If I Should Fall From Grace...

Good morning to all,
hope your day is going well.

Hmm.... with a title like this, what could be the topic? A personal tribulation? Pat Robertson's most recent and goofy, nutball comments? Nah, this one is going to be about a band called the Pogues, and their frontman Shane MacGowan! I woke this morning, turned on the television, and had the luck to find a documentary on the Sundance Channel called "If I Should Fall From Grace". Great stuff!! Here it is January, and it has me longing for St. Patrick's Day already, the Pogues in their uniquely Irish via London way dragged my attention to the interview and performance clips. Some songs just energetically entertaining, some downright beautiful when delivered with the tortured and perhaps beer-soaked vocals of ol' Shane. I challenge anyone to listen to songs like "Rainy Night in Soho", or "Summer in Siam", and not find the beauty in them immediately.

As you watch the documentary, you're taken aback a bit by Shane MacGowan's slurred speech, as well as his dwindling number of teeth, and potential for health problems, but one interview segment with him later, you're on his side, hoping he does well, impressed and smiling at his apparent wit and intelligence, a toothless grin and funny laugh later and you're a fan, a song later and most will probably be wondering why they haven't heard of The Pogues sooner. They're a talented lot, and the heart of a poet resides in their frontman.

If you have a chance to see the documentary or to listen to some of their music, I highly recommend it. Take my challenge and seek out those two songs I mentioned, I'll bet you'll like what you hear. If you do, let me know what you thought, good or bad.... I can take it. *LOL

To Shane MacGowan, I wish a long life filled with good music and people who care about him. To band members of The Pogues, I'd wish they would know they've earned and maintained the respect of one more person across the Atlantic.

Have a good day everybody, and thanks for taking the time to read this stuff!