Getting In the Mood 2021

 

I recently started resharing my "GETTING IN THE MOOD" posts from last December where I was sharing some great and some of my favorite Christmas/Holiday songs to try and boost my holiday spirit. To be fair, my mood is down a good deal more than it was last year. I'm feeling pretty flat on Christmas and I hate that. I'm going to do my best to turn that around this week, but today I'm giving you a song that sums up how I'm feeling.

"Be Good at Christmas" by Katie Malco. And after this, checkout more of Katie Malco. She isn't talked about enough and her 2020 album "Failures" is the best album that was released in that God awful year!

Alright, let's get Holly fucking jolly!

The Death of American Patriotism

 

That's a  beautiful picture isn't it?

The Autumn leaves. The incredible sky. Old Glory. In this image I see the American flag but I quickly shift my attention to everything else going on. You see after the Trump administration and what has gone on in our country post election, I'm leery when I see the American flag. I often cringe when I see it. I know people are already upset and offended i wrote that, but let me explain why.

Patriotism was weaponized. It started when Colin Kaepernick, on the advice of a member of the military took a knee during the National Anthem in protest of police brutality and discrimination. People dug in firmly to their sides and the point Kaepernick and others were trying to make was quickly lost. Between this and the Black Lives Matter movement more and more we started seeing the Thin Blue Line flag or the "Blue Lives Matter" flag. The people wearing and waving that flag not only claimed to support the police but also claimed to be patriots/patriotic. Funny since their flag breaks "flag Code."

Also, some people carrying this flag on January 6th, attacked the U.S. Capitol and beat police officers, killed police officers, wounded 140 police officers. Nothing there seems to show support for police, or "patriotism."

These people who felt Kaepernick's use of his freedom to protest, felt they were well with in their rights to "protest" election results, in which their guy got smoked, by staging a terrorist attack on the Capitol. How very white of them.

Also in this band of terrorists who have weaponized patriotism, were people who wear and fly the Confederate Flag. The Confederate Flag being the flag of traitors. While these dolts scream about respecting the  Red, White and Blue, Stars and Stripes, they are waving the flag that was flown in opposition of the Old Glory. 

These self proclaimed American patriots who say they have great love and admiration for our military, on a daily basis call Democrats and liberals Nazi's. Everything the left tries to do for the good of the country and humanity, these jackasses equate it to living in Nazi-Germany...Nazi's being an enemy we fought in WWII. Yet many of these "patriots" have swastika tattoos, carried Nazi flags on January 6th, wear anti-Semitic clothing.  

So why the fuck are you calling me the Nazi? Why the fuck are you calling yourself a "patriot?"

All these people are the most vocal about their patriotism and make a point to let everyone know how much they love America and the Flag. All of these people fly these anti-American flags right next to their American flag, and sadly, many with their flag with a man's name on it...Trump...That is the least American, least Patriotic shit you can do.

So yes, now when I'm walking my dogs by a house where I don't know the people who live there and I see the American flag, I sometimes cringe. I most likely don't and won't trust whoever lives in that house. I am skeptical whenever I see the Flag. It's sad. I never expected to be this way.

Trumpism weaponized American Patriotism. They made Patriotism about hate instead of community and unity. With every new day I'm more skeptical of my fellow Americans and nervous about will happen next because the lack of true patriotism and the massive volume of hate that exists now.

What We Did Forget

 

"Never Forget" has long been a battle cry in the United States and after September 11, 2001 it became cemented in our minds. After the 9/11 attacks Americans and even our politicians set differences aside. We all came together in support of first responders, New Yorkers, the people lost at The Pentagon, the families of those lost on Flight 93. We ( us non-New Yorkers) didn't hate the Yankees that year. Most of the country could cheer for the New England Patriots in a Super Bowl. The U.S. flag was flying everywhere you turned. We cared a little more about our neighbors. 

We were willing to let the government take away a little bit of our freedom in the name of fighting terrorism. We sent care packages to troops who were sent off to fight "the war on terror." We gave donations for any fundraiser in the name of first responders. Through the horrible events of 9/11, as the dust cleared we learned of amazing stories of bravery, sacrifice, compassion. Strangers helping strangers. Strangers rallying together on hijacked plane, to not let what happened three times already, happen a fourth time. Evil arrived and it brought out the best in us.

But it didn't last. Yes, every year on 9/11 we post pics and write "Never Forget," but our every day actions show the rest of the year show differently. 

As time went on we all drifted back to a regular day to day. We and our politicians dug back into our political trenches. First in ways like withholding military funding and money for the First Responders Survivors Fund, as a way of grandstanding and playing politics with people's lives. Then, as we were struck with another test of our resiliency and humanity, a large portion of our country, who have pumped full of lies from Trump, Republican politicians, Fox News, Alex Jones and and other right wing media outlets, refused to come together to fight off COVID. They were willing to give up freedoms with "The Patriot Act" but wearing a mask is a bridge too far. They want Trump's name on the COVID Vaccine, but they refuse to get the vaccine.

"Never forget! Never forget! NEVER FORGET!"

Yet 650,000 Americans have died in the last couple years since COVID hit, with more every day and most people forgot them seconds after they passed. The number of COVID deaths is equal to 9/11 happening 217 times. Why is it so easy to forget the lives lost from COVID?

Americans yelled "Never Forget" after the Sandy Hook school shooting, but nothing legitimate was done by our leaders to prevent it from happening again. School shootings and mass shooting continue and many forgot all about the young children from Sandy Hook who would have been starting high school this year.

Americans seem to have no problem forgetting. Forgetting loss, forgetting facts, forgetting science, forgetting history. What we forgot most was our decency, compassion, humanity, our togetherness.

So when you post your yearly "Never Forget" bullshit, think about how much you really have forgotten.

Cam Newton the First COVID Cut

 

Today the New England Patriots cut their presumptive starting quarterback, Cam Newton. No matter how the Patriots try to spin it, or whatever short, monotone, annoyed response Bill Belichick gives the media, Newton was cut because he won't get the COVID Vaccine. 

The NFL made it clear that they are not dealing with COVID bullshit this year. They aren't rescheduling games and moving games around because of an outbreak on a team. If you get COVID because you're unvaccinated, they're holding you accountable. Your team will forfeit, not get paid and have to pay the game checks for the team you forfeited to. They have set up strict protocols and standards for the players who have stubbornly chosen to not get vaccinated...

And Newton broke protocols with the Patriots that cost the team having him present for meetings and practice for 5 days. If you know about Bill Belichick, you know he only cares about winning. Doing things his way and the team comes first. Newton's actions showed that the team doesn't come first to him. That he isn't all in with Bill and "The Patriot Way." 

Bill can't have that. He doesn't tolerate it. It's not a political issue with him. It's not about anti-vaccine or pro vaccine or anything to do with science. It's all about winning football games and getting back on top.

Newton isn't the only QB or high profile player to be opposed to getting the vaccine. There are plenty of those dolts. Problem for Cam is, that he was on a team that cares more about what's best for the team and winning, than they do about whatever the fuck nonsense he cares about.

If you think Newton's cut was about anything else than him not doing everything he could for the good of the team, which includes getting vaccinated, you're almost as big a dolt as him.

    

Afghanistan, Republican Bullshit and COVID

 

There is a mess of things I need to get off my chest and I'll start with the mess in Afghanistan. The Republican party and the media, both Left and Right leaning outlets have been shitting all over President Biden for going through with Pulling U.S. forces out of that hellhole, even while they all have said we should get out of there. 

It's time to speak some truth about this shit people. The GOP and many Democrats fully Supported President Bush sending out Troops in there 20 years ago, with no real plan of ending our time there. President Obama talked of wanting to get out but got loads of pressure from Republicans and lobbyists to stay, as well as not having a solid plan to get out. That asshole President Trump, went ahead and released 5000 Taliban prisoners and gave them a seat at the head of the table to negotiate the U.S. military withdrawal, giving them a watered-down, candy-coated treaty that basically said, don't shoot our guys and we'll leave. Then left it in the desk for President Biden to deal with, while bragging about the deal he worked with the Taliban and praising them and Republicans in Congress and Right Wing news twats like Fox News fully supported him. Now the GOP and their networks are trashing Biden for working with the Taliban and this garbage deal they all supported.

By the way, never forget the Taliban was born from the Mujahideen, who were guerilla fighters fully funded and armed by the United States to fight Russia from 1979-1989. We loved them so much Hollywood made a Rambo movie where he fought alongside the Mujahideen, and the original ending, dedicated the film to them.

Back to present day...

This week while evacuating over 100,000 people, our Military suffered a horrible loss of 13 lives. The Right used this to attack Biden and called for accountability, which he in a press conference, without hesitation took responsibility for the lives lost. Something Commanders in Chief do. Well, most do. Trump didn't while he was in office and 63 servicemembers died in Afghanistan, nor did grandstanding jackasses in the GOP, call for him to resign or be impeached over it, like they are now. Dickhead, JOSH HAWLEY this week was one of them, suddenly against our withdrawal from Afghanistan. I guess he for got when he tweeted at Biden in April that we should pull-out immediately. Something his father should have done! 

We also have had many Republicans and media members screaming how we need to help the Afghan people and get these refugees out of there, while in the same statement or tweet like Ted Cruz did, say how we shouldn't let them come here. Nothing like a son of a refugee telling refugees to fuck off! 

And yes, after losing 13 U.S. servicemembers, suddenly, many Republicans wanted us to stay there, and send more troops there. They're so angry about the lives lost, they want to risk more lives. For Fuck's sake, Kevin McCarthy in a press conference Friday changed his mind 4 times on whether we should have troops in Afghanistan permanently or not.

I find it incredibly hollow that so many in the media and the GOP said little to nothing about Afghanistan over the last 20 years, as well as saying nothing about the 2,372 U.S. Servicemembers who have died in Afghanistan over the last 20 years. The major news networks covered Afghanistan from 2015through 2019 for less that a hour of airtime combined. ABC: 16 minutes. CBS: 25 minutes. NBC: 16 minutes. Now, suddenly after 20 years war, lives lost, military funding and VA funding be held up in the name of playing politics, underpaid troops, now you care. They only care, because war, suffering and controversy boost ratings and poll numbers.

The biggest fact we all should know is there was no winning this thing. History has shown this. Afghanistan is a place of constant civil war. There are 14 religious sects (mostly fanatical) fighting for power and control. If U.S. forces stayed any number of years, they would be at risk. Whenever our forces started leaving a power grab was going to start. All these pundits and politicians have a shitload to say and criticize, but none...NONE of them have offered a real solution or a better plan. They are all just trying to get clicks, likes, and political points. 

Military members, especially those who have been in action or served in Afghanistan, gladly say what you wish, your perspective means a great deal more than some dick in a suit who spend his life in a studio, behind a desk, reading a prompter. Unfortunately the networks don't do much of that. (TRIGGER WARNING): Military guys, don't talk about how you fought or are fighting for my freedom. Have you fought for our security? YES! But the United States military has not fought for our freedom in DECADES. They have been used to fight for the "Country's" political and economic interests. I respect you dearly. You do a job I know I could never do and you are grossly underpaid.

To the COVID section...

What I am going to say next is not to belittle or try to take lightly the military deaths in Afghanistan...A few days ago when a suicide bomber killed 13 servicemembers and over a 100 civilians, that day more Americans died from COVID than all the U.S. military deaths over 20 years in Afghanistan. 900 just in Florida alone. Where is the "Pro-Life" party screaming for the head of GOP governors trying to ban mask mandates. GOP politicians and media figures pushing anti-vaccination bullshit? They pushing people to treat them self with medicine made for farm animals. These dolts are against science and doctors until horse de-wormer gives them the shits and they catch COVID. Suddenly they want a doctor's help. Fuck them, let them die!

I can say that here, I'm not allowed to on social media. These two images got me suspended on social media for "promoting self harm."

Yet they aren't stopping the people who spread anti-vaccination bullshit and anti-mask bullshit and 'go get some horse or goat or cow medicine and you won't get COVID' bullshit. 

I spend too much time on social media and lots of it trying to combat this ignorance that is running wild in this country. It rattles me. It angers me. I had someone (now former friend) private message me about why I get so worked up and post so much about it. (they are an anti-masker for kids in school) I had some shit to say.

I'll sum it up like this. Over 635,000 Americans have died from COVID. If that alone doesn't make you take this seriously, I don't know what will. I don't want businesses to shutdown again. Most won't survive it a second major shutdown. I don't want people losing jobs and homes and loved ones. Americans, we love sports and to talk about TEAM. If you can't get onboard with the team to stop the spread of death, I'm done with you. I have a 10 year old daughter, who is not yet eligible to get a COVID vaccine. Which means compared to the rest of our household, she's at the greatest risk of getting it bad. (especially since the Delta variant is hitting kids harder than the original) If my daughter gets COVID, you're all done. I burn this fucking world to the ground. 

I'm not being dramatic. This shit was preventable, but a bunch of ignorant-ass, fucktards, lead by Qanon dipshits and Trump, decided there is no greater freedom in the world than to be inconsiderate, selfish, assholes. The right to get sick and die a horrible death or just merely spread that death is the most important thing to them.

The stories of those who chose to not get vaccinated and fought against vaccines and masks, now dying, do not make me sad. they had plenty of time to get their shit straight and they chose ignorance and a death cult. But their choices are impacting us all now. So I will shame them. And if my child get COVID because of their ignorance...It's over.

One last thing for all you full of shit Republicans and Trumpers...

If Trump was still President today, he wouldn’t have gone to meet the returning U.S. military bodies as Biden did. He would be ignoring the COVID surge and not getting briefings on Afghanistan and a major hurricane, he’d be fucking golfing! 

Sunday Night with Beer and a Blog

 

Today we dropped our oldest daughter off at college. Normally a BIG moment in people's lives and for families. But it didn't have that exact feel that you expect, because like so much in these times it was kind of fucked up. You see, this event was meant for last August, but two weeks before move-in we were informed she would have to do her first year online from home, yet the only money we saved was on her dorm and meal plan. Personally I think some of the tuition should have been kicked back to us as well.

Sadly, fucked is something becoming normalized for us. Her Senior year of high school got fucked by COVID and then going away for her first year of college get fucked by COVID. Now there she is, a second year student feeling like a freshman...with things still fucked by COVID. Still on high alert. Still wearing masks still not getting the full experience.

 I said fucked by COVID, but at this stage things are fucked by COVID mostly because of the ignorant, Trump loving, FOX NEWS watching selfish, brainwashed, fucking assholes! Fucktards that would rather buy fake vaccine cards instead of getting a free vaccine. Cunts who would rather buy cow deworming medicine instead of getting a free vaccine. Dipshits who scream about the evils of vaccines while they have had a lifetime of getting vaccines and never bitched about it until Tucker Carlson and the crazy QAnon lady told them to.

 By the way, all Fox News employees are vaccinated and have to show proof and wear masks at work. They and those jack ass governors in Florida and Texas don't care if you and your kids live or die. These cocksuckers are screaming that mask mandates are "government overreach," yet them making laws banning mask mandates and cutting funding for school districts and staff if they do implement mandates, is somehow not "government overreach." Sorry dickheads, you can't have it both ways!

These fucking people who scream "my body my choice" about wearing a fucking mask, but never gave a damn about anyone else who said "my body my choice." Typical Republican hypocrisy. 'My rights to not wear a mask are important, your reproductive rights aren't.'

These fucking dolts are out here trying to shutdown COVID testing sites and vaccination centers. They are screaming to not allow children to wear masks...Children who cannot get vaccinated yet...And they say God will protect them and save them. These types of religious people are the worst because they cheery-pick what God is good for. They give him credit for creating this and that, damn near everything, themselves included, but somehow, in their uncle fucking mind, their God didn't create smart people and doctors and scientists. 

They'll thank God for when they won that high school football game back in the day and they'll thank God for the food on their table, but their God had nothing to do with science? Odd huh? Since Science helped figure out growing that food...And what, God was all in with the butcher shop and the grocery store and the trucking industry that got everything where it needed to be so you could eat, but God has no hand in the people who create medicine and vaccines. God has nothing to do with the amazing Doctors and Nurses trying to heal people and save lives? 

Okay God will save you people, here's the deal. When you or your spouse get sick or your kid, that you as such a great parent, didn't protect, gets sick to this point pictured above...FUCK YOU! Don't go to the Hospital! Go to church! Call up your God. Ask him why your kid is dying. Ask him to help. 

If you're lucky enough enough to get an answer, you know what he'd say? Hey asshole, I gave you a free vaccine and scientific experts who told you what precautions to take, and instead you bitched, moaned and complained like a bunch of cunts!

This will sum it up a little nicer:

12 years of Catholic school, I came out less religious, but smarter than you Bible thumping fuckstains. What you read maybe 2 Bible verses and thought you knew something...and Stone Cold 3:16 doesn't count!

Assholes

#GetVaccinated

#HaveEmpathy

#MaskUp

#CareAboutOthers

#Love

Twitter and all it's Glorious Bullshit

I've been a heavy Twitter user for many years. I would guess since 2008. I can't tell you for sure because that original account was shutdown. So was the second and third and fourth and the fifth. I just started up number 6 and had to do some work at it, as number 5 was shutdown within minutes of me starting it and I never even tweeted. The only reason I was given for that permanent suspension was it was suspicious. Suspicious meaning they figured out it was linked to number 4. 

Number 4 never got a warning and was permanently suspended when I quote tweeted a post about Krysten Sinema caring more her horrible, cunty fashion sense, than about doing her job as a Senator for her constituents. What I said was she "needs her {*nt kicked in."  Based on what they said when the shut me down, it wasn't for my edited spelling of cunt, it was the kicked. They said it was "promoting violence." REALLY? There's nothing more American than that!?! 

 Ok, fine, that's in their rules, but I see a lot of violence promoted on Twitter. Including from members of congress. Republicans love to promote violence and their media outlets help push it, and Twitter does nothing. I can also watch angry anal sex porn videos on Twitter. Why don't the pearl clutching so-called conservative republicans scream about that?

Yeah, yeah, yeah, they banned Trump. After what, 6 years of lying, misinformation, hate speech, promoting violence, "mean tweets" and finally when his terrorist army tried to over throw the government and he tweeted a video saying he loved them. I'm not fucking impressed. And I brought up the "mean tweets" as the media called them because I wanted bring up the Republican hypocrisy how they love to bitch about my "mean tweets" or a cabinet nominee's "mean tweets" while they all ignored Trump's. Or Cruz's or Paul's. Yes, I said mine. I was report and suspended on accounts 2, 3 and 4 for being mean to Tucker Carlson and Josh Hawley and Lauren Boebert. 

Back during 2 and 3 they at least gave me warnings or 3 day or week long suspensions. This brings me to Marjorie Trump Greene, the Qanon Congresswoman. Today she was suspended for a week for COVID vaccine misinformation. This is her 4th suspension and second in under 2 weeks. But she is not permanently suspended. If it was mean, I'd be done. COVID misinformation may not be "Promoting Violence" but I would say it's just as bad. It's promoting stupidity. It's promoting a lack of caring and empathy. It's promoting death. 

Twitter is trying to do this dance of being a private company and we make up our rules and you have to follow them if you want to use our platform, while giving public figures...celebrities, athletes, politicians, "BLUE CHECKMARKS" more leeway than us "nobodies."  At the same time they're trying to not upset people, but there's no doing that. MTG supporters are pissed she can't spew bullshit for a week. I'm pissed she'll be back on in a week and isn't held to the same standard that I am.

Twitter tries to act like they want to do the "right thing" but honestly, I think they love the chaos. It keeps them in the news. All publicity is good publicity right? 

Twitter is like so many other so-called great American institutions. It's full of bullshit.

Best College Football Uniforms (2021)

 

Last week ESPN put out their list of "best college football uniforms" and it wasn't that surprising. They are the "world wide leader"...Leader of lazy sports coverage. You could see their top 5 coming a mile away and it didn't really matter the order. 

1. Notre Dame

2. Michigan

3. Penn State

4. USC

5. Oregon

Now, as some of you may know, I'm a huge Notre Dame fan and don't have an argument with that. But other than Oregon this list is fresh out of the 1980's. It's the old guard that so many in the media want to be relevant again. USC is crap and hasn't been much since Pete Carroll left them in a NCAA sanctions mess. 

Penn State is still loved by ESPN for all that bonus content they gave them from Sandusky being a pedophile and good ole Joe Paterno and the PSU administration trying to hide as much as they could. 

Then there's Michigan. That program is just garbage. Once an always competitive, powerhouse program, now many teams look at that game on their schedule and don't sweat it. 

And of course, Notre Dame. They keep themselves relevant by having a huge fanbase, and remaining not 100% locked into a conference. They can run with the teams in the ACC, Big Ten, PAC 12 and the dying Big 12, but they are outmatched if they run into a damn SEC team. 

ESPN's list felt like holding onto the good ole days, and narrow sighted...Like they don't actually pay attention to the vast majority of college football. So screw them! Here's my list.

1. Notre Dame Fighting Irish: 

Ok, so maybe I sound like an asshole after all that and then going with ND, but I told you I was a huge Irish fan and their classic uniforms are still the shit!

And when they once a season break out a GREEN jersey, that shit is awesome!

I will always love the all gold, nothing on it helmet, but I have to say, this Shamrock version below was awesome to see and I'd love to see them use regularly.

2. Kansas State Wildcats: 

The Wildcats have become one of my favorite programs to watch. They have a great fanbase, student-body and traditions installed in their program. They're gritty team that doesn't have the recruiting power of the the Big 12's "elite" programs, Oklahoma and Texas.

Purple, Silver and White, with a great logo. The Silver has that Dallas Cowboys thing where the Purple bleeds into it and makes it an off-silver.

KSU has also mixed in White helmets and pants that that make it a tight and clean look.

3. Ohio University Bobcats:

No, not Ohio State! There's no way I'm doing this list and not getting some MACtion in here!

The Bobcats rock a traditional style uniform  with only two colors, Green and White, with a crisp White helmet with simply OHIO written on it's sides and two green stripes with white in between.

The Bobcats occasionally mix in a green helmet in the same style. 

Like many other Programs they have produced a couple different versions of a "Blackout" uniform. Black jersey, pants and helmet. The helmet holds onto the the same style but the green pops from the black as it is a metallic green.

ESPN's list went with old school big name programs. Clearly I have no problem an old school look/style, but mine look good. Fuck Penn State's boring ass shit and USC's ugly yellow (not gold) and whatever color red that is? What is it called, O.J. Simpson Bloodstain?

4. Georgia Bulldogs: 

Look at that. Red, White, Black, light gray pants on the Black Jersey uniform. Strong, powerful, bold colors and the iconic oval "G" helmet logo. What's the lingo these days. Dope? Fire? Tight? This shit is tight! or whatever the fuck the kids are saying these days.

Yeah, that's a spiked dog collar design on the Black jersey!

5. Washington Huskies: 

The Huskies at home rock Purple Jerseys with white numbers trimmed in Gold. The sleeves have 2 lighter shade of purple stripes. Gold pants. Gold Helmet with a Purple "W" on both sides, Purple facemask, and a Purple-White-Purple tri-stripe down the middle of the helmet.

On the road the helmet is the same, the jersey is White with Purple numbers, the standard purple stripe flanked by two lighter shade purple stripes on the sleeves. I have also seen all white uniforms with the Helmets colors reversed. 

The Huskies also have a "Blackout" uniform, embracing the Huskies name.

Honorable Mention:

Washington State Cougars:

The Cougars have a great logo. Crappy team most of the time, but a loyal fanbase that loves to represent that great logo. The only problem with the uniforms, is they have so many options, they can screw themselves up mixing and matching.

Maybe they should spend more time on the football and less time on what to wear!

Another team that gets an Honorable mention, was actually on ESPN's list.

The Oregon Ducks:

The Ducks are famous for the Nike uniforms that are different every week. They say that is being scaled back and these are what we should expect this year, but it's Oregon. At some point we will see black, we will see a chromed out helmet, some gray somewhere, a darker shade of green. They can't stop themselves. I hope I'm right, because this crop or Oregon uniforms is pretty boring for them.

Feel free to let me know what your favorites are.

Fuck Michigan, Penn State and USC!

My Chicago Cubs Fandom comes Full Circle

 

As a kid growing up in the suburbs of Cleveland, I was an oddball. I paid attention to our own losing baseball team, the Indians, but I was a fan of baseball's loveable losers, the Chicago Cubs. Our cable provider carried WGN which back in the good ole days carried every single Cubs game. I would come home from school an the Cubs would be on TV. Like I said it was the good ole days, when every Cubs home game was a day game. For you young folks out there, the Cubs didn't play a night game at Wrigley until 1988.

In my youth, at their best, the Cubs were an average team, but even when they were shit, they still had packed house. Living in Cleveland, back in those days, the Indians were horrible, and so was attendance, so it was easy to fall for the Cubs, they weren't great but they still managed to pack a crowd and energy into their ballpark.

Ryne Sandberg was my favorite player. I know the hitting stats, geeks will argue with me, but to me he was the greatest second baseman ever. His fielding percentage of .989 at 2B is the highest at that position in big league history. He had 20 career errorless streaks of at least 30 games including the record, 123 game stretch. Sandberg taught me the glove was just as important as the bat...Oh, he was a helluva hitter too.

Andre Dawson was a superstar hitter and if you ask me, Shawon Dunston was one of the most underrated Shortstops in the game.

I loved the Cubs and I loved Wrigley. It seemed like the greatest place on Earth. I always said I wanted to live at least one year, in that neighborhood, in one of those building behind Wrigley, where the residents watched games from the roof. 

Again, in the good ole days, before Cubs ownership blocked their view and then wanted a cut of the bleachers the building put on top.

As the years went on I got annoyed with Cubs ownership for crap like that, as well TV contracts, which took the games away from WGN making that channel useless to me and having to buy MLB packages if I wanted to watch them. Not holding on to top talent, always rebuilding. I also grew a bit more hometown pride and followed the Indians more and more. I had a girlfriend who's family had season tickets and spent a lot of time in the late 1990's at Jacob's Field.

Then, in 2016 the unimaginable happened....Except much of my youth I imagined it as pitched imaginary baseball games against my parent's garage door. The Cleveland Indians and Chicago Cubs would face-off in the World Series. 

I thought I would be torn. I thought there would be an inner-struggle between my childhood team and my adult team. But there wasn't much. I didn't care a damn about the Cubs drought. I cared completely about the Indians finally winning.

But that didn't happen. It was in all honesty a great series and two well matched teams. It was great baseball, but in the end the Cubs were victorious.

And I didn't feel one bit of joy about it. As a matter of fact the next season I hated the Cubs. I was pissed every time they were on national TV. I hated the gold trim they added to their uniform for special nationally televised games. I hated them almost as much as I hate the Yankees and Dodgers.

Suddenly this season, I got back into the Cubs. Maybe I just want something that was tied to happy, good memories after the last couple years in this fucked up world. When I was kid and Cubs fan and throwing a ball against my parent's garage, I was happy. Outside world didn't seem to matter so much. So I got a new Cubs cap, started watching as many games as I could, started paying attention to the team and farm system. The core of that Championship team was still there and they were solid veterans now. This could be a really good team, but they probably needed a couple arms.

Then last week happened. There had been rumblings that the Cubs would have to move one or two key players, mainly to be able to resign a couple of them. I assumed they would trade Closer Craig Kimbrel, which they did. I figured moving 1B Anthony Rizzo was the other who should go. 1B's are a dime a dozen and he's the oldest of the core players. He's also an anti-vaxxer so fuck that guy! 

Kris Bryant is still in his 20's and can play 3B, 1B and all the OF positions well. The guy brought 5 gloves top the All-star game with him so the manager could use him anywhere on the field. To me, you keep that guy. And then there is SS Javier Baez. He's one of the games best Shortstops. He's without a doubt in the top 6. He's a headcase, but so were many other great players and he's still young. You gotta keep this guy right?

Nope! The Cubs traded them all away. 

I told my wife, it's just like my childhood all over again. I fall in love with the Cubs when suck.

 

Presidents, Gas Prices and the Truth

 

Recently I have seen people on Facebook and Twitter, as well as in person, shit-talking President Biden about gas prices going up. Well folks, it's long overdue to clear some some shit up. 

First, Presidents often get too much blame. Not nearly enough blame is given to the 535 members of Congress, which just goes to show how little people actually know about how our system of government works. When talking about things like gas prices, Presidents also get too much credit.

Second, Gas is a commodity. It's bought and sold. Presidents don't just say, 'fuck it, lets raise the price of gas!' or 'I need better poll numbers, drop the price of gas!' It doesn't work like that dummies! It's basic economics, Supply and Demand! So gas prices were lower in Trump's last year...Why? Because there was a global pandemic. People were dying at a rapid rate. Travel bans were put in place around the country and world. People were staying home, working from home, attending school virtually. Get it!?! People were not using as much gas, which means there was low demand and a higher supply, which means prices are going to go down.

In this early part of President Biden's term, you had Winter storm blast Texas, who's Republican governor and state officials are so anti-regulation, that they didn't have their infrastructure equipped or prepared to deal with this storm. Refineries, gas lines, gas pumps, froze up, creating higher demand. That was followed by President Biden's administration getting a better handle on the global pandemic and getting more and more Americans vaccinated, which has lead to more businesses opening up, more states lifting restrictions and more travel bans lifted. Kids going back to in-person schooling, people going back to work, more flights available, more people traveling. This all has created a higher demand and a lowers supply, which makes the prices go up.

Low Demand + Higher Supply = Lower Prices

High Demand + Lower Supply = Higher Prices

Grow up, stop being stupid, read a book!

#WakeUpAmerica

Farewell Payton

 

I just had my cry at 1:00 AM. I had to get it out of the way because later today I have to be the father and husband and rock. We'll be taking our dog Payton to the vet for the last time and saying goodbye.

We got this handsome Beagle/Australian Cattle Dog  5 years ago from a great place here in Erie called The ANNA Shelter. On their paperwork his name was Peyton, but this isn't a Peyton Manning kind of household, we're more a Walter Payton kind of group, so I changed the spelling. They took him in as a stray. He was there for a long time, got adopted and then was dropped back in to the shelter after he got heartworm and his owner didn't want to deal with it. The shelter took care of it and he sat there for 8 months. 

 I took my daughter there to look at some cute little fuzz ball we saw online. An older couple was signing the paperwork for it when we got there. So we went and looked at the rest. All the dogs were barking and going wild. Jumping and wanting attention. Except Payton. He just sat there, against his pen door, shy and quiet. Eventually we took him outside and spent some time with him. He was sweet and timid. We got my wife and son to come with our other dog to meet with him. (This is a requirement they have.) All went well and he came home with us.

He was afraid to go up stairs and it was a couple months before he tried. He was afraid to go on the couches, but once he realized he was allowed, he loved it. And if you got up he was skootching over to where you were, or he was jumping into your spot from another. 

He was terrified of feet. Walking past him, swinging by him, whatever, he was terrified. It seemed clear he at some point was roughed up and abused. He had this one rib that was screwed up and stuck out weird. Oh, and he didn't bark. it was 4 months before we ever heard a peep from him. But when he found it, and saw he wasn't punished for being a dog, he used it. It was powerful with a howl on the end of it. When he got excited and howled it was hilarious because our other dog, Finnegan (a Shih Tzu) wanted to howl too. Eventually Payton taught him how to get his own little howl out.

Payton was always gentle. Always sweet. He didn't know how to play with other dogs or toys. When he finally played with a toy on Christmas, we were all so excited. He saw this and quickly you saw him walk with a little more pride, and lead you to the treats to reward him. 

Payton loved fleece blankets and he loved to curl up on them, build a nest with them, and sometimes, cover only his head with them.

After his first St. Patrick's Day with us, he got very sick. He was having a lot of stomach pain. We went to the vet and they found out he had Pancreatitis. The Corned Beef did him in. He took some medicine and we watched his diet, and cut out people food. Then this past holiday season we noticed him losing weight but still eating a lot. he was having accidents and always thirsty. They diagnosed him with Diabetes, which is commonly brought on by the Pancreatitis. They also diagnosed him with serious arthritis in his hind legs.

So I've been giving him his two insulin shots a day but things didn't get better. He kept losing weight and was always hungry. Constantly hungry. The Vet's office kept harping on "he needs 600 calories a day" and were somehow missing what we were saying about how much he was eating. Then I gave them a tally of exactly what we were feeding him. Well over 3000 calories a day, and in 4 months he lost 25 pounds. 

We've spent a bunch of money on vet visits and test and medications and enzyme powder to add to his food to help him keep it in and retain some calories. But he would eat and immediately go outside and crap it out. His organs have just stopped doing their jobs. Over the last couple months his vision has been going and in the last few days, he pretty much gone blind. The Vet let me know we have exhausted all of our options for treating and preventing the only guarantee about life...That it ends.

That's him, in his favorite spot...Where ever Mom is, snuggled with her.

It was clear that the first eight years of Payton's life were hard on him. I hope being part of our family the last 5 years washed some of that away for him. I'm glad he got some of the love he deserved. He gave us all the love he had. You'll always be my handsome boy Payton. I'll miss dearly.

Some Truth About Saint Patrick

 

So with 50% of my ancestry being from Ireland, I often get riled up about St. Patrick's day and all the bullshit that surrounds the guy. I get the day is all about Irish pride and really just morphed into an excuse to party, but considering the facts, I find it to be more insulting to the people of Ireland and those who come from Irish heritage. 

"What's in a name?" Yeah, lets start there. Dude isn't a saint. Catholics/Christians are always taking a hardline on things, yet they have let it slide that Patrick is called "Saint Patrick" and gets all the hoopla of being a saint. Except he was never officially canonized as a saint. So it's just bullshit.

Then there is the big myth and/or metaphor that Patrick drove the snakes out of Ireland. It's always been pushed that the snakes represent sin and the pagans and it was an easy bullshit story to push since no one had seen any snakes in Ireland. You see, all evidence suggests that post-glacial Ireland never had snakes. “At no time has there ever been any suggestion of snakes in Ireland.”

Patrick was born in Great Britain, to parents who were both Italian. Yes, Patrick was not Irish. Not at all. 

When he was 16 he was captured by pirates, taken to Ireland and enslaved. He learned the language and traditions and after six years he escaped and returned to England. He studied Christianity and was ordained. He went back to Ireland as a missionary, where he would use the knowledge of the pagan rituals and traditions to help him force Christianity on the people there.

Listen, you want to drink, go ahead. You want to eat Corned Beef, go ahead. You want to be proud your family came from Ireland, or that you're from Ireland, be fucking proud. But know why you're proud. And don't be proud because of a whole bunch of make-believe.