Politics, religion, Series 7
Sept. 11 has raised my interest in two topics about which I know very little. Politics and religion. I was raised in the most apolitical non-religious family I know. Not that I was a pagan or anything, but those topics just never came up. I have an inherent distrust of both, not based on anything in particular, mostly because I'm naturally a skeptic. Maybe it's that I have a hard time with any ideology (not sure if that's the right word) that draws a line in the sand and tells me I must be on one side or the other, and the other side is evil, or hell, or something like that.
Everyone in the US is suddenly pledging support for Bush? Even people like Clinton and Gore are saying, I'm supporting my president, let's follow his lead. A few months ago, half the populus considered him to be somewhat of a fool. I guess we want to present a unified front to the enemy and prevent any bipartisan politics from paralyzing our government and military. I wonder how long his grace period will last.
Rich called me from New York. He met the enemy, the Series 7 exam, and passed. Now just the Series 66 remains and he'll be back in Seattle. And then the phone calls will start (actually, he can just knock on my door). "Weeg, have you heard of a stock named General Motors? Well, my people have done an exhaustive study and have reason to believe that the share price will rise 35% to 50% in the next six months. Now, you don't know me, I don't know you, so I'm going to start you off small..."
Why do I have to "please use the revolving door"? Is there something wrong with the hinged doors? Someone must know.
Okay, some of you are sick of hearing about baseball, but damn it, I love the sport. Bob Brenly decided to let Curt Schilling pitch Game 4 on 3 days rest. Randy Johnson won't go until Game 6, though, since he can only pitch one more game anyway and you might as well give him 4 days rest. Then Schilling can come back for Game 7 if necessary. Some say sending your pitchers out on 3 days rest reduces their effectiveness. I think in this case it's a great move. Look, the Diamondbacks are old. Schilling, Johnson, Grace, Gonzalez, Williams--these guys are probably not going to get a chance to win another World Series. In fact, the whole Arizona franchise is in big trouble financially. Would you rather have a moderately tired Schilling pitching or a fully rested Brian Andersen or Miguel Batista? It's a great story, the aging warhorse going out firing.
They say the hardest pitch to hit in baseball is a good fastball, but I think a good hard split-fingered fastball might be right up there. Schilling, Clemens...in the old days, Mike Scott. Nomo. It looks like a fastball, but with the minimal rotation the pitch drops at the last minute. Located properly (start it just above the knees and it ends up at your ankles) it's just unhittable.
These are the days a sports fan's plate runs full. NBA season starting (Jordan's jumpshot was flat tonight), World Series, and college and pro football. Even hockey, if you're into that. Fall TV shows are starting up. Man, I might have to invest in one of these hacked Tivo's.
I've watched all 3 episodes of Smallville, and I enjoy it. I like how they've made Lex Luthor one of Clark's best friends. I find it so true to life that your greatest enemies come from those who are at some point ostensibly close to you. You can't have a bitter enemy who happens to be someone completely unknown to you. No, the worst rifts occur with people you try for the longest time to be friends with, to the point where you overlook things that usually drive you nuts to try and maintain the illusion. Finally, someday, it all bubbles to the surface and explodes and suddenly you're bitter enemies. At least that's what I think.
What was I talking about? Oh, Smallville. They've bought themselves a season's worth of storylines by expanding the effects of the kryptonite that exploded on earth when Clark arrived. Now it has infected people all over Smallville, giving Clark a slew of super-powered villains to deal with. They've also chosen to reveal his powers slowly, so we'll get to cycle through his first flight, the beginning of his x-ray vision, and eventually, I suppose, the arrival of his heat vision and the invention of his costume, perhaps.
But it seems every episode, just as he's about to thwart the enemy, somehow there's a whole supply of kryptonite nearby and his hand start rippling and he falls collapses. They've used that a few times already, and it will start to get old real soon.
I have a one in three chance. I'm going to try and make a collect call. One of three people will appear: Alyssa Milano in a leather body-hugging one-piece outfit, Carrot Top, or David Arquette. I have a 33% chance of meeting Alyssa Milano! I can't think of better odds anywhere, and it's all thanks to AT&T.
Everyone in the US is suddenly pledging support for Bush? Even people like Clinton and Gore are saying, I'm supporting my president, let's follow his lead. A few months ago, half the populus considered him to be somewhat of a fool. I guess we want to present a unified front to the enemy and prevent any bipartisan politics from paralyzing our government and military. I wonder how long his grace period will last.
Rich called me from New York. He met the enemy, the Series 7 exam, and passed. Now just the Series 66 remains and he'll be back in Seattle. And then the phone calls will start (actually, he can just knock on my door). "Weeg, have you heard of a stock named General Motors? Well, my people have done an exhaustive study and have reason to believe that the share price will rise 35% to 50% in the next six months. Now, you don't know me, I don't know you, so I'm going to start you off small..."
Why do I have to "please use the revolving door"? Is there something wrong with the hinged doors? Someone must know.
Okay, some of you are sick of hearing about baseball, but damn it, I love the sport. Bob Brenly decided to let Curt Schilling pitch Game 4 on 3 days rest. Randy Johnson won't go until Game 6, though, since he can only pitch one more game anyway and you might as well give him 4 days rest. Then Schilling can come back for Game 7 if necessary. Some say sending your pitchers out on 3 days rest reduces their effectiveness. I think in this case it's a great move. Look, the Diamondbacks are old. Schilling, Johnson, Grace, Gonzalez, Williams--these guys are probably not going to get a chance to win another World Series. In fact, the whole Arizona franchise is in big trouble financially. Would you rather have a moderately tired Schilling pitching or a fully rested Brian Andersen or Miguel Batista? It's a great story, the aging warhorse going out firing.
They say the hardest pitch to hit in baseball is a good fastball, but I think a good hard split-fingered fastball might be right up there. Schilling, Clemens...in the old days, Mike Scott. Nomo. It looks like a fastball, but with the minimal rotation the pitch drops at the last minute. Located properly (start it just above the knees and it ends up at your ankles) it's just unhittable.
These are the days a sports fan's plate runs full. NBA season starting (Jordan's jumpshot was flat tonight), World Series, and college and pro football. Even hockey, if you're into that. Fall TV shows are starting up. Man, I might have to invest in one of these hacked Tivo's.
I've watched all 3 episodes of Smallville, and I enjoy it. I like how they've made Lex Luthor one of Clark's best friends. I find it so true to life that your greatest enemies come from those who are at some point ostensibly close to you. You can't have a bitter enemy who happens to be someone completely unknown to you. No, the worst rifts occur with people you try for the longest time to be friends with, to the point where you overlook things that usually drive you nuts to try and maintain the illusion. Finally, someday, it all bubbles to the surface and explodes and suddenly you're bitter enemies. At least that's what I think.
What was I talking about? Oh, Smallville. They've bought themselves a season's worth of storylines by expanding the effects of the kryptonite that exploded on earth when Clark arrived. Now it has infected people all over Smallville, giving Clark a slew of super-powered villains to deal with. They've also chosen to reveal his powers slowly, so we'll get to cycle through his first flight, the beginning of his x-ray vision, and eventually, I suppose, the arrival of his heat vision and the invention of his costume, perhaps.
But it seems every episode, just as he's about to thwart the enemy, somehow there's a whole supply of kryptonite nearby and his hand start rippling and he falls collapses. They've used that a few times already, and it will start to get old real soon.
I have a one in three chance. I'm going to try and make a collect call. One of three people will appear: Alyssa Milano in a leather body-hugging one-piece outfit, Carrot Top, or David Arquette. I have a 33% chance of meeting Alyssa Milano! I can't think of better odds anywhere, and it's all thanks to AT&T.