quickie

i missed the ending of the super bowl. in typical austin fashion, i turned it off after 3 quarters, assuming that the steelers were in control. imagine my suprise when the headlines screamed greatest fourth quarter ever. but it's how i roll. you can thank me for ensuring a great finish. once i hit the off switch, magic happens.

who cares about michael phelps? i don't. 8 gold medals. fine. he's not my role model so what do i care if he hits the bong? enough. listen to charles barkley on this one. atheletes are not role models. they are not even heroes.

i broke down and did the 25 things about me on facebook. i was suprised at how quickly they came out. i thought i would break down after 2.

that's all i've got for now.

sam did monday, i came through on tuesday. can danny, tom, crystal and jd make this a perfect week? stay tuned.

Super Bowl Civility

I enjoyed the Super Bowl last night, though I went in assuming it was going to be awful. I assumed that Pittsburgh would dominate and that the game would not be close. And, much of the game played out in this way. Fortunately, the fourth quarter more than made up for the rest of lopsided game and it ended up being quite an exciting conclusion.

However, I watched the game with a bunch of high schoolers and middle schoolers, if you can call it watching. They have the attention span of flies, and so they were constantly running off to play basketball, dodge ball, Rock Band, or whatever else. Also they all were rooting for the Cardinals (while I was rooting for Pittsburgh). So, they paid little attention to the game until the fourth quarter when Arizona actually showed up.

It was at this point the inexplicable happened. When Arizona took the lead, two middle schoolers got in my face and were taunting me. I am not a violent man, but I was ready to twist the heads off of their puny bodies. I mean, really? You haven’t rooted for this team ever before, and now you find it necessary to verbally abuse me because they are winning? It is insane! It is a silly game that you and I have no vested interest in. Maybe - maybe - if it is your favorite team you could root like a fanatic. But even then, you aren’t on the team. You don’t own the team. It doesn’t really matter if they win or lose other than your pride bring bolstered or hurt. SO GET OFF ME!!

I know, they are immature 6th graders. But even still, get a clue. This is no way to act. When I hear of LSU fans showing up at Alabama fans house and shooting them. When I hear about Soccer fans rioting and killing one another. When I see the sort of conduct that would be completely unacceptable under any other circumstances, it makes me want to distance myself from the human race as much as possible.

We need to get a clue about what is important. We can root for our teams, or their teams, or any teams. But for God’s sake, we don’t need to dispense with civility in order to do it. Perhaps instead of $3 million commercials about Clydesdales we need sensitivity training commercials. Or maybe, just maybe, we could treat each other with some respect understanding that life is bigger than a silly game filled with testosterone overloaded men trying to maim each other.

Sorry for the Super Bowl downer, but that’s just how I feel. I’ll leave breaking down the commercials to someone else.

weekend recap, the shield and the history of football

I had a great weekend. Poker on Friday night with some people from work. I did ok. I was trying to play cards, host the party and get loaded all at the same time. Multi-tasking is not my strength. I think the only thing I managed to accomplish was to enjoy several Heineken’s. Goals people. Have goals.

Then Saturday I sat on a stool at Claddagh’s most of the afternoon watching soccer. When Roman scored a goal for Spurs after 5’, I was worried. Then United turned it on and that was that. The second half was painful as Spurs knew that they didn’t want a replay and couldn’t overturn the deficit and win the game. BORING!!

Then I watched Juve v Fiorentina. Fiorentina got robbed. Simple as that. Gila wan’t offside and they really deserved a point, but Juve took all three and kept the pressure on Inter. There are several rumors in the internet re: transfers. Hopefully some of them wil come to pass. Zanetti is past it. He’s got to go. Looks like Sissoko and Marchisio is the best paring for the rest of the season.

Sunday I played a double header at the new LISA. My back held up ok, so we’ll see that goes. Then a couple of pints of Magic Hat to round off the evening.



I finished the Shield Season 1 and can’t wait for more. Great show with a great ensemble of characters. Plenty of material to develop and I’m waiting for Season 2 to come in.




From Netflix, I have been going through the History of Football (soccer to all you Americans out there). It’s fascinating, with tons of footage from the first quarter of the 20th century. It’s seven discs, so I’m 2 down, 5 to go.



Keeping it short this week. I plan to add a poll question later this week. Good to see Bristol back on track.



Ta Ta.

My New Hot Button: "Social Mobility"

I've been thinking a lot about race and culture and tolerance lately. Especially since the election and inauguration. And as happy as I am for Obama and as excited as I am for the nation (I did vote for the man), I don't agree with a lot of the reasonings I've heard.

For instance, the idea that a black man has been elected president despite his color is flawed and cliche. Too many people hold onto this statement without taking into account what it "really" means or how reasonable the statement really is considering the number of voters in America and all of the different motivations for voting. I would have to say, with all honesty, that for some voters Obama was elected president BECAUSE of his color. I give two reasons for this.

1) Black people want a black president. I can't say it any straighter than that. That's not a racist remark, that's just the truth. I can't blame people for this. If there was a decent white man running for president in a country that had been run exclusively by men of another race I would most likely vote for him. Sadly enough, this was also proven by none other than Howard Stern. I must preface this by reminding the general population that I do not support Howard Stern in any way shape or form and only know of his experiment through NPR. The man is tasteless. But I do have to admit, it was a pretty slick trick. I think when push comes to shove, an election is still a popularity contest. Everybody plays favorites...everybody.

Reason #2) People are sick of white rice. Yes, rice. Try eating white rice, and nothing but white rice for...let's say...200 odd years or so. Not wild rice, not chicken fried rice, not cilantro lime rice, just white rice. There's lots of it, it's all the same, and it's tasteless (but not in the same way as Howard Stern). White rice has been a decent meal supplement, I don't have anything against it per say. I'm just sick of it, and sick of the status quo. Let's change it up a little big. Yes, CHANGE. So many times during campaign season I heard that McCain was just another Bush. I would go further than that. McCain was just another rich old white man. The US has been run by rich old white men for far too long. They are less and less representative of the American people as time passes...except for the 'old' part I guess. Obama brings a lot of diversity with him, not just African American, but diversity at its most....diverse.

"Obama proves that social mobility is improving for black Americans", I read this in a news article somewhere. This is a basic misunderstanding of how social mobility works.

Reason #1) Obama isn't from Detroit. He didn't grow up in the ghetto, on welfare, with a foster mom with no high school diploma. He grew up in Hawaii, raised by his white grandparents and was surrounded by a family that believed in higher education. The expectations placed upon him growing up were that he would continue his education, and that his actions, choices, and speech would be acceptable to a majority of society. Many African Americans in this country are raised with very different expectations. Many are taught from a very young age to give up on education because they'll never make it and it's a white man's game anyway. They are taught that the world is against them and the only way to get ahead it to have the biggest attitude, the biggest gun, the baddest gang. Everything they see in life tends to prove this is true and if they try anything different, they get eaten alive by both sides. Yes, Obama had conflicting cultures he had to deal with and find out who he was but he doesn't really prove anything, in fact, I am a better example of social mobility than he is. I was the poor ignorant country girl that should have gotten pregnant and dropped out.

Reason #2: It is not societys' job to make everyone socially mobile. It is everyones personal job to choose where they want to be and what steps they are willing to take to get there. Society is not going to hold your hand and pat you on the back and open doors for you. Society will judge you based on your family, your fortune, and your education. It always has and it always will. This is true for everyone. There is a give an take involved. Everyone has to take a realistic look and see how much they're willing to adapt to the larger society.

Let's face it. If you choose to speak and dress in a manner that clashes with socially acceptable norms because "you can't get ahead anyway", then it will be a self fulfilling prophecy. Subcultures can be hugely alienating to the general public. If employers feel your attitude, speech, or clothing is too different than the norm, then you are not reaching as many customers as you possibly could and you are not an asset to the company. This is not about racism, it's about money and it's not about color, it's about "flavor". I don't expect that I would be where I am today if I continued wearing plaid polyester pants (I do miss them). Nor should people expect to be socially mobile if they choose to speak in a dialect that only a few subcultures can understand.

I'm not saying people should totally give in to society. It's a strange concept that there is acceptable and unacceptable diversity but that's where we are at. Society will take away your personhood if it gets the chance. Everyone has to decide for themselves what things are worth fighting for and what things are more divisive than they are worth. Barack Hussein Obama has a name which some people find offensive or suspect but it's his name and he's not going to change it. However, you don't see him with his belt buckled under his butt and you don't hear him calling people "dawg" and "homeslice".

Yeah, we'd all like to see society bend to whatever culture we're comfortible with, we'd all like to be socially mobile without meeting any of the expectations of society. Get over it.

And speaking of the 'name' issue I'll say this. There were "Adolf"s before there was Adolf Hitler. I don't blame them for what Hitler did and I don't think they're going to try to massacre an entire race of people because they happen to share a name with some guy they've probably never met. Barack was Hussein before Saddam ever came on the scene. It's just a NAME people. Again, get over it.

Long Time, No Post. For What It's Worth.

I just wanted to post to everyone this week to share with you my joy over my new brother I got this week. I didn't think I needed any more brothers, but it appears that God had different plans for me. I thought my two other brothers were the best, but everyone keeps telling me my new brother is awesome. PEOPLE WON'T STOP TALKING ABOUT MY NEW BROTHER! I'm so excited.

My new brother is great, except he follows me everywhere. EVERYWHERE. I get in my car and I can't drive more than a mile without my brother waving and smiling at me. I go to the coffee shop, he's there. People are talking about him. Holy crap, the women love him. Any guy looking to pick up a girl could honestly wear a mask with my brother's face and the chicks would squeal. I guess he's attractive. Katie Couric was practically in heat and totally humiliating herself as a journalist the other night. Apparently journalists can't be objective around my new brother. Wolf Blitzer was sporting wood on national TV.

I go to the gas station, there's my brother. I turn on the sports station: my brother is there. I read the sports section (now listen, my brother hasn't played sports since high school--and that was a long time ago) and he's there. I guess professional athletes like my brother, too.

I open up my web browser and celebrities apparently REALLY like my new brother. This makes me distrust him. I generally distrust anyone that celebrities like because they are generally completely out of touch with reality.

I go to church, and guess who's there. My brother.
Today I went into 7-Eleven and out of the 24 different magazines that they sold he was on the cover of 21 and he's still on the cover of every newspaper.

Now, If this was anyone else besides my brother, even if it was someone important, like the guy who invented the internet or something, I would be a little irritated. But, because he's my brother I'm just supposed to swallow this media poop-parade! I turned on my F-ING X BOX last night and the first thing I see is more pictures of my brother!

I think my new brother is being over-exposed. This is alienating me from my new brother. When I thought this was going to be a happy fun CHANGE that I could believe in it is just starting to piss me off.

Here is something I read and I hope my new brother reads it well.
Woe to you when all men speak well of you, for their fathers used to treat the false prophets in the same way. Luke 6:26.

If you are wondering who my new awesome brother is, here's a picture of him

media shame spiral

So I finished the Watchmen trade paperback in preparation for the movie release. What an amazing book, especially for the time. The issues raised re: power and responsibility, the nature of being a hero, and the neurosis of dressing up to fight crime were not new, but the application to a superhero world was new.

I can’t wait for the movie, but I’m a little worried it will be a let down. Here’s hoping.



I have started the Shield. Talk about blurring the lines of right and wrong. Vic Mackey is a highly complicated character that is able to be a mirror and foil to all the other characters on the show. Who of us is perfect and what are your motives seem to be the underlying themes of the show.

I really like the Dutch character and find myself despising the captain although I could see him turning completely to the dark side over time. Great show. Check it out.



When I got back from Alabama, I picked up an issue of the Noise and saw their top ten albums of the year.

I immediately decided not to listen to Erykah Badu and Lil Wayne. Yes I am closed minded. So I put the rest on hold at the library and plan to go through them over the next couple of months.

First up, Elbow, “The Seldom Seen Kid.” Imagine Coldplay mixed with My Morning Jacket mixed with ethereal downers. Definitely have to be in the right frame of mind for this album. Not something to turn up to 11 in the car and cruise. I plan to come back to it and see if I change my mind.


Next Los Campesinos, “Hold on Now, Youngster . . .” This is high energy punk/pop and every song sounds the same. So if you like it, it’s great. If you’re like me, and you don’t, not so great.

So 0 for 2. Hopefully some of the other albums will deliver.



One of the movies I picked up on Netflix was “The Beautiful Century”, which is basically a recap of the first 100 years of FIFA. It was a good overall history and highlighted key moments. This would be a great introduction for someone unfamiliar with soccer.

Watching it reminded me of how great South Korea was in 2002. The passion of the team and the crowd was something to behold. And then there’s Al Gore handing the World Cup Trophy to Dunga in LA, with this huge dorky smile. He has no idea what is going on but just smiles and claps.

One editorial point. The video does serve as a propaganda piece for Sepp Blatter’s legacy. He is not responsible for the rise of women’s soccer, great strides in Africa and the worldwide appeal of the game. Those things were in place long before him and one could say have developed in spite of him.



Finally, watched Juve v Lazio on Sunday. With a win, Juve would trim Inter’s lead to just 1 point. After 20 minutes I was praying for a draw. Lazio played at a frenetic pace and should have been 2 up after 30’. They did get one goal after Manniger made his first major error of the season. After that Juve got back in the game, snagged a goal and finished the first half on a high note. The second half they really took control of the game but couldn’t create the right opportunity for a second. In the end a draw was fair result.

Only 3 points behind Inter. I cannot believe that. I haven’t completely turned around my opinion but you can’t fault the fight of the team and the results. They still need to sign some players. Like Mauro Zarate from Lazio. Wow. Pacy, tricky and aggressive. I’ll take him please.



United v Spurs on Saturday in the FA Cup. Cannot wait.



Ta Ta.

Media Update

Just an update on the media I have been watching lately.

I have caught up on the 2 ½ seasons of 30 Rock. Funny stuff. Lemon’s character reminds me of Elaine from Seinfeld in many ways. She is intelligent but often circumstances conspire against her which set up the humorous situations. I will say that although this show is hilarious at times, I don’t see why it gets more industry acclaim than “The Office”.

I have also started a new show, “Leverage.” So far it is okay, but I have only seen 2 of 7 episodes. Basically a bunch of high end criminal types get together to pull of jobs to teach someone else a lesson. It is Ocean’s 11 with some morality. Kind of Robin Hoodish I guess. While the jobs are interesting and I enjoy seeing how they are pulled off, I don’t know that that the storylines are compelling enough for me. I guess time will tell. (A shout out goes to Tom and his Facebook for introducing me to this show).

Also, there has been some debate in other posts about Monk, The Mentalist, and Psych. Let me set the record straight. Monk was first, and Monk's phobias and their impact on his ability to solve crimes make it funny. Psych is silly funny, in an Adam Sandler vein. And the Mentalist contains a more refined comedic element. All are similar in that they include hyper observant main characters. All are funny in different ways. But each is different and, I believe, worth watching.

Moving on. The previews to a new movie, “Taken”, look very intriguing. Though I doubt I will see it in the theatre, I hope I remember it when it makes it to the Library.

I watched the NFL playoffs this weekend. I was happy to see either AFC team in the Super Bowl but think the NFC is a joke. Maybe the Cardinals will pull off a feat like the Giants of last year, but I just don’t see it happening. Early Super Bowl pick – Steelers 27-Cardinals 13.

All for now. Get outside an enjoy the snow (all of you who live north of Tennessee and East of Illinois).