Red Sox

You simply have to believe. Even when it is the 14th inning. And those damn Yankees are ahead 3-1 in the series. Thank you David Ortiz.

Whew -- MSG?

And that would not be Madison Square Garden. Rather, it appears to have been Todd English's steak house Bonfire in the Park Plaza Hotel. Gad. I had the cold sweats, a mind that was buzzing like a swarm of seriously irritated hornets and the feeling that a canteloupe was trying to burst from my chest. And, tellingly, that feeling of having been 7 rounds with the pugilist du jour. MSG? Perhaps, but, the food we had can only be described as terrible -- my wife's fish taco appetizer was too salty even for a dedicated sodium junkie to consume. My rib-eye inedible. Ugh. The place looked so promising too -- the menu was very enticing, the wine list careful and creative.... But Mr. English urgently needs to get over there to sort things out. Service was decent, though and the list of Trequilas simply extraordinary. BTW we couldn't get into Olives, another Toddaurant where we love the food. Sweet 19. What curse? Speaking of which, I can only hope that we summarily obliterate the Evil Empire when it comes to town (and in da Bronx, for that matter). I do not want to see anything close or exciting. I do not want to see good baseball. I only wish to see the utter and abject humiliation of the Emperor's storm troops. A-rod? 0 for 20 would be a start. Manny, Davy-O, Jesus Damon, V, Gabe and a few more hitting .400 would improve matters. Pedro earning back his mojo even better. Schilling, Embree, D-lo, Arroyo, Timlin, Timmy W, Foulke shutting them down totally -- best. Being WS champs would be great, but I'll admit that the destruction of the cretins in pinstripes is what will float my boat. I can see it in my mind's eye, red painted sleds (Hueys for those that need the reference -- with the tune sweet Caroline blaring from the speakers, or Boston the band as with the A's last year when they did that mini-gig on the right field roof) -- the boys manning their .50s that belch baseballs. People in pinstripes running like cockroaches caught under the kitchen stove (in New York, of course) . A crazed Red Sox coach reciting the benediction: "I love the smell of napalm in the morning ... it smells like ... victory..." Then landing in Yankee stadium, smoke billowing from scorched Yankee gloves strewn across the infield .... Those Jets look pretty good though ... who'da thunk that you could say that with a straight face?

And now the envelope, please....

More about last night's debate .... "You can run, but you can't hide." How true. Neither Kerry nor Bush could hide, although they both tried mightily. Tellingly Mr. Kerry was not dominant this time around. Dubya positively jumped up to refute and amend the distortions put forth by Kerry (or should I call him "Heinz Boy"?) and Kerry was at his obfuscatory best in avoiding matters like partial birth abortion. But there are some points I'd like to air -- first Heinz-Boy misconceptions (and they had better be misconceptions, otherwise he is foolish or a worse liar than he appears at first blush):
* The Economy. If Dubya presided over the first loss in jobs in the past 70 years over the term of a first term presidency (which research troll dug that one out?) then it is because of the economic conditions he inherited from the previous administration, barring extraordinary circumstances inflicted on the economy from catastrophic sources. Simply put, the lags inherent in a macroeconomy the size of the US cannot be corrected within the three and one half years that are available. If anything, the dip should have been deeper and more painful, but for the extraordinary actions of the Fed in cutting rates way beyond what could reasonably be regarded as prudent. The hang-over of asset inflation resulting from the "bubble" is still with us. These conditions were created during 8 years of democrat administration. All Dubya has done is delay the reckoning. If there is blame to be handed out, then look to the previous adminsitration.

* The "war on terror" may also start to approach the sort of catastrophe referred to above -- and while Ketchup-man might be correct in describing the situation in Iraq as such, the decision by Islamo-fascists to pick a fight with us was and is not within Dubya's control. The fight started quite a while ago -- perhaps as long ago as 1947. Whether we are to blame for starting it is up for debate (really one needs to look at the British adminstration of Palestine and the actions of the Arab powers at that time -- the US was largely out of the picture). By the time Iranian- inspired cretins decided to commit suicide and take some 200 plus US Marines with them in Beirut, the fight was already in its second round. Make no mistake, this is a fight to the death. Theirs or ours. And this is not me asserting this, their words and actions make this clear, and they have given us every reason to believe them, daily. The Dems did nothing substantive in eight years to address this -- and as to the would-be JFK, he voted against the first Gulf War.

* The French, Germans and Russians are thick as fleas with anyone that they can make money from. Money and politics for their gain are what they are about -- not making the world safer or some childish notion (their view on the matter) of spreading democracy. Consider: have the Russians ever had any real democracy? Their history is one of extremes, whether it be chaotic or absolutely rigid. Democracy is not within their culture nor is freedom of expression or individual rights.
The French? Har, har. Yes, they have had a few (five?) revolutions and republics in the name of democracy since we started ours, but in France you are still measured by your education -- which in turn is a direct result of your background -- and class. Remember these are the same people who successfully deported the bulk of their jews (always a good idea when they might have some possessions you covet) when the Germans were so inconsiderate as to drive around their Maginot line. Same folks that sold Exocet missles to Argentina while their neighbors across the channel were conveniently at war with Argentina. And -- take good note Mr. 57 varieties -- the very same people who now have been documented as facilitating Saddam in his quest to subvert the "oil for food" program. Prior to the invasion of Iraq, what were all the French contractors doing there that they had to be evacuated in droves back to France (along with dozens of charter flights to points in Russia)? Weren't there some sanctions in place to force Saddam to cooperate? Sanctions that both France and Russia voted for? Hmmm. This rant could go on for a while ....
The Germans? Well -- they were well documented in constructing and supplying the various pressure controlled "pharmaceutical" facilities in both Libya and Iraq. Government is inconvenient for them -- their government routinely catches its citizens headed to Switzerland with literally trunkfuls of cash on which taxes have not been paid. I'll put this in bold ... Heinz-boy, listen up. These are not your friends. They will only work with you if there is immediate gain to them. They are not going to let you do anything to bring them to the table as allies where it does not benefit them in a positive political and monetary way. If you want to talk about a coalition of the bribed, it would consist of any coalition with the French, Germans or Russians in it. By definition.

* Medicines from Canada. Where they are produced there under rigorous supervision by competent manufacturers, great. If they are cheaper than US-sourced drugs, then so much the better. If they are made in some third world tin-hut factory and transshipped through Canada, then we have a problem. Make clear your position on this. Don't take a cheap shot -- your record of voting on these matters is excellent, don't blow it.

* Kyoto -- get your head out of your ass and consider what this really means. As to compliance by our Western European "allies" ... don't be an idiot. They can't comply with telling each other the time of day (for an example review the history to date of their Common Agricultural Policy). They may sign, but that is a French-style promise. And it gives the China (and similar growth nations) the opportunity to polute the crap out of our Earth for a long time while we comply and they develop? No, if we are going to sign, then everyone needs to be on board, with teeth in the compliance enforcement.

* Iraq ... a disaster in anyone's books. But the reasons for being there were credible and realistic at the time the decision was made to go in. And, Mr. K, you voted to go. Your position would be much more consistent, credible and supportable if you had not. You can't say that we have to remove Bush because he took us to war. You voted for it. If, in hindsight, it appears the primary goal was not achieved -- there were not WMDs (even though I believe whatever he had is now in Syria or Iran) -- then the removal of someone so odious to all tenents of decency can at least be said to be a valuable consolation prize. Maybe not worth going to war for -- that is hindsight -- but we are there now. You have yet to make ANY case for your being better able to conduct us out of this mess. The problem is really bad: there is no good way out. Politically, Ketchup-man, you need to realize that to take over is to be tarred by the same brush. If you approach is more of the same, then you will fail too. Four years from now people will look to the previous adminstration and blame them for everything (as you do now). Unless you have a magic bullet, and want to tell us what it is, shut it about Iraq. Otherwise you just hurt our troops and discredit us in the eyes of the world. We have enough problems in this regard without your parading our dirty laundry on the world stage.

* Taxes: don't be such an idiot. You sound like a traditional tax and spend democrat. Go talk to Slick Willie. He understood that this message is poison the bulk of America that actually produces the goods and services that support the revenue base of this country. How about taking a dramatic and credible stand against pollution and excess energy consumption in the US (you said last night that you wanted to make us free of the oil habit). If you have to raise cash -- and you may be right about this -- advocate putting a $1.00 per gallon tax on gas. Break the habit with Detroit and the oil companies -- or do you have the guts? Or are you a two-faced, lying, snivelling creep that is secretly in bed with the military/industrial/oil combine. What's the matter? Do you own shares of Halliburton? As to a gas tax being regressive, there are plenty of used Hondas (oh, those are foreign!!!) out there that people can buy to improve their mileage. Or are you afraid that your electorate are NIMBY? They want to be liberal democrats while driving their SUVs? Hey, Kerry, if you truly believe, show me -- and I'll vote for you. Americans do need to start to change their habits. Now.

BTW, $1.00 per gallon means that we can start paying down our debt now, let alone balancing the budget. Ever wonder how your friends the Europeans manage to have such "wonderful social programs" and yet have a debt to GDP ratio in line with ours? They tax the crap out of their populations. And gas exceeds $5.00 per gallon. That is their choice. Americans might not like that one. But to cut the deficit by raising gas prices -- bring it on.

Europeans, BTW, produce cars that are fuel efficient and some that aren't. If you want a low fuel bill, you drive a little car that burns little fossil fuel. If you want an Uber-Benz AutobahnSturmer that goes 155 mph (voluntarily limited!!!) and gets 11 mpg, then you can do that too! You just have to pay for it. It is sort of a sin tax. And, Mr. K, would you deny that burning huge quantities of fossil fuels is a sin? Let's be clear, do you or your wife own that Chevy Suburban? And that Hinckley "Picnic Boat" (for reader's guidance, that is a $500,000 boat of about 42 feet with two very large diesels stuffed under the cockpit getting about 1 mpg.) How do you feel about some wind turbines in Nantucket Sound? Or are you as really concerned about the enviroment and energy as you claim? Huh?

* Free trade: if you believe putting up the barriers to protect our economy, you need some remedial economics and a little history of what brought on the Great Depression (ever heard of some cats called Smoot or Hawley?)

Now for Dubya (where do you even begin?):

* Allies. You now understand who our real allies are -- you clearly did not have any idea at first. You thought you were your father. Earth to Dubya ... damage too many brain cells in your earlier days or are the meds too strong? You cannot go it alone. I am not saying you have to swap spit with the French, Germans or Russians, but look around and share the wealth. Make it attractive for our allies -- they have elections (at least some of them do!!!) to win too.

* Israel ... and the rest of the Middle East. It may be time to be a bit more even handed about what is happening there. If the US shows serious displeasure (how about that aid spigot -- we pay off both the Israelis and Arabs) perhaps we might progress to some meaningful change -- the bulk of Israelis (and at least some Arabs) want to establish a real peace and understand that we need to work towards than goal. Just in case you think that I may be throwing out the baby with the bathwater, Israel is the only functioning democracy (the mere presence of which I hold dear) and must be preserved at all costs. While you pay everyone off, there is little incentive to alter the status quo. Savage acts are done by savages -- desperation is NOT a valid excuse. Mahatma Ghandi showed us how to create change. Convincing some ignorant fool that slaughtering innocents will provide them a ticket to paradise is savage. Paying the family of the person who thereby commits suicide is worse. It is depraved. Continuing to support a system that has its base in the Concentration Camp first devised by the Brits in the Boer War may not be much better. Oh yeah, Hezbollah (or hisb'Allah) -- find them and if there are any weapons, exterminate them. A "party of God" (I believe that is the correct translation) surely has no need of truck mounted rockets, mines, mortars and howitzers.

* Energy. You have to get a grip on the energy policies of the US. Break yourself of the habit of big oil. You can do it. You have to. Our nation needs it.

* Free trade. It is not free if we are the only ones subject to it. It would be a realistic thing to export our menial jobs if we had something to replace them with. We don't. It is currently a one-way gig: the jobs go abroad and the profits stay abroad (lots of US companies re-domicile themselves to avoid the tax man -- Ketchup Man, take note ... you tax them too much, they move. And there's nothing you can do to stop that. ) There has to be a quid pro quo -- we gain nothing from sending our helplines and code writing to India. Nothing. And the Chinese ... how many billions of dollars flow one way to them? Sure they -- in effect -- pay for / finance our trade deficit, but why is it there in the first place? So WalMart can sell us cheap goods? Keep our inflation rate low? So we can mortgage our future? Hello, anyone listening? And yes, you do have to fight Airbus and the Europeans. They will pick your pocket clean all the while protesting that they are the victims. Its the French way -- reminds me of the Holy Grail ....

* Meds from Canada. If they meet the test, ship them out. Now. Not later. Not to protect the US drug companies. Strange how a little competition might lower costs in the US, and how quickly that might happen. Break the habit!!

To both Dubya and 57 Opinions:

* In God we Trust. Let it be. Stand up for it. Certain things cannot be subverted in the name of political correctness -- this nation was not created and built by atheists. Nor by pantheists. Let people worship in their own way, but recongnize the heritage of this country. If you or they don't like this (and that would mean the VAST minority), then move to the Netherlands. Or Patagonia. Just not here.

* Judges: no judicial activism. None. That is for the legislature. And that IS what was intended by the framers of our Constution. Not "strict constructionism" either. You can read the document for what it is. Don't mess with the third branch for your partisan purposes. That way lies danger. A democracy is inherently for the betterment of all, not just the few. If we wind up by vote of the majority to enshrine Ancient Aramaic as the official language of this country, then so be it. See the next point.

And that is just last night's debate.

Is anyone out there listening?

I just watched the "Presidential Debate." I hope that I was not the only one to experience fear and loathing when listening to "our candidates." Two more compulsive liars have yet to prance forth on center stage during prime time. Really. I consider myself an independent ... at least from the idiocy that passes for partisan politics in this country. But who represents me? Nader (nadir)? Kerry-- a man without a genuine belief in his body? Bush a mean playground bully without the ability to structure a complex sentence (it would be worse if this was all a sham playing to the folksy masses)? More tomorrow when I get the chance to hear the spin-meisters spew their interpretation of the nights events.