Buffalo Boy's Blog
Giving You More Than Just My Two Cents
January 2009 Archives
More From Colbert on the Wing Thing
Category: Miscellaneous
Hide Your Wings
There is a chicken wing shortage so hide your wings!Category: Miscellaneous
Its About Time
Its about time our president stood up and said something about the bonuses, it should have been George W. Bush, instead Obama is the one up there. Less than two weeks into his presidency, Barack Obama has done more than George W. Bush has in the last two years combined. We finally have a president that is going to stand up to the coorporations on Wall Street that just stole $350 billion from the American Taxpayers and are looking for more. In the mean time, teachers in NYC are being laid off. Shameful:Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy
What A Loser
Its unbelievable that Ted Haggard can do a documentary and still be as ignorant as he is. Despite his past he still has the audacity to sit there and be as racist and as ignorant as he is in the HBO documentary The Trails of Ted Haggard. This guy has officially gone the way of Jerry Falwell. He is the new big loser amongst the Evangelical Christians. What is even scarier is that those who are closest to him don't seem to realize his incredibly screwed up view of this world. Now there is a second guy, a 20 year old that is involved with Haggard. Haggard still refuses to admit what we all know and to acknowledge that there is nothing wrong with it, hes gay. He is the only one who thinks there is something wrong with being gay, him and his messed up Evangelical Church that he is a part of. He refers to being gay as being a sin and he is trying to find a cure for it. The only thing Haggard needs a cure for is racism, because that is exactly what he is, a racist scum bag. Its guys like him that really turn me off to any and all religions because religion preaches divisiveness. "If you don't believe in this you are wrong" type of attitude. And despite his actions, as we all know actions speak louder than words, he continues to take the racist approach to his flaming homosexuality. What is great about the documentary is that he is asked the tough questions and he gives the big bullshit answers.Category: News | Television | religion
Calgary 5, Sabres 2
Thats it, I knew they should have tucked away a few of those 10 goals from Edmonton and saved them for last night.
The good part about last night, Tim Connolly and Drew Stafford continued playing well. The bad news is, the team melted down in the third period. You could see the legs go out from under them. Fatigue set in and that was it.
Reality checked in and realistically, I wasn't expecting a win last night. Not on back to back nights out west. The goal still needs to be to go .500 out there though. The next two are against Anaheim and Phoenix. Either one is winnable.
Category: Buffalo Sabres Hockey
Boner....Oh I Mean Boehner
What a tool! Where was this 6.2 million job stimulus package out of the GOP last year before things started getting really bad? If the GOP want to go against Obama's plan, thats their decision. Obama made it a point to sit down with the GOP in the senate and present his plan and ask for input. Obviously all they could do was come out of it the same way they went in. They want Obama to fail. They are following their big, fat, drug dependent, failing radio talk show host Limbaugh with the point of view that if Obama fails then they get the power back. They can play these games all they want, but I think the GOP should stir up their memory to oh say about three months ago. This country, overwhelmingly voted the democratic party into power. The senate, the congress and the presidency are now democratically controlled. If this stimulus package does not get through, the American people are not stupid, they know what party got us here and they know what party has been hoping for the downfall of this. People are losing their jobs and Obama has a plan in place that will put people to work. They are bitching about the funds for the National Mall. Well, its something like .001 percent of the entire stimulus package and fact is, it will put people to work in D.C. who need jobs. All the GOP can come up with are more tax cuts. Not for the middle class (us), for big business. Lets see how that has worked for the last 8 years.....it didn't! Even with tax cuts and those $600 checks from last year, THEY DIDN'T WORK! This country needs jobs, people working. Long term paychecks going into peoples bank accounts. Not a one time tax cut or a one time check. We need stimulus. Money spent on the infrastructure of this country. So, Mr. Boner, Im sorry, I keep getting his name wrong, but no matter, if the name fits....needs to keep his mouth shut and try to come up with some solutions. The previous president W. met with democrats a grand total of twice in his 8 years. Here we are 8 days in and Obama has already reached out and met with the GOP. Its time to stop playing political games and to start working together, not hoping for failure. Ultimately, if Obama is made to fail by this GOP party then the people of this country will fail, if the people of this country fail, then this country will too and believe me, we will remember that it was the Republican party that ultimately took us here.If You Are Not Ready......
Okay, heres the deal, all we have heard about for over a year now is this digital transition and we all have to be ready to switch our TV's to digital otherwise your TV will explode.
Now, the government wants to extend the time people have to make the switch. Look, first of all, this has been flashing up as a news alert on every local, regional and national news station in the country for the last two years. If you haven't seen or heard something about it then you are deaf and/or blind and really don't deserve to be watching TV anyway.
Second, if you have not made the switch, you should go live in a cave and your TV should be taken away from you. Enough already! Make the damn switch, if you don't have it your screwed. Basically, if you still have a pair of rabbit ears on your TV you probably are living in a cave and you should do what this song suggests:
Of course, if you are ready for the transition, then you are a Digital Man (or Woman):
Category: Television
Sabres 10, Oilers 2
What the hell was that? 10 goals? Where has that offense been? All be it against a weak Edmonton Oilers team, our boys looked rested and ready status post All Star Break.
Tim Connolly with 3 points and Drew Stafford with a hat trick led the way. Nathan Paetsch also woke up and showed that he may be the guy to carry the puck up ice on the blueline.
For much of it I thought I was dreaming as my eyes were half rolling back into my head from being tired but when I woke up this morning the news confirmed the final result. The win puts us at 25-18-5 with 55 points, still in 7th place in the Eastern Conference. Next up Calgary tonight.
Category: Buffalo Sabres Hockey
Rob Ray's ESPN Commercial
I never knew that Rob Ray had an ESPN commercial. I stumbled across this earlier today, some of you may remember this one, I however, never caught it:
Category: Buffalo | Sports | Television
Mandatory Music Monday (Tuesday)
I keep missing, maybe I should just do a Two for Tuesday....anyway, I have been playing the hell out of the Sugar Mountain Live stuff and figured I would make up for it with two from Neil Young, I am going to put him on a short list as possibly the greatest song writer ever, bar none. Maybe Elvis Costello could come close but not many others.
This is some early Neil performing Heart of Gold and audio only of an acoustic version of Down By The River:
Category: Mandatory Music Mondays
More White Crap
More of the white crap, yes this winter has been long, but its been long because for the first time in a long time, its been normal. Its supposed to be cold in December, January and February. We are supposed to get snow and have it stay on the ground. We haven't had that in years. We have had spurts but nothing long lasting like this year in quite some time. At least 10 years if not more.
Take comfort in this fact, there are not officially less than 20 days until Spring Training 2009. 19 days, 12 hours and 13 minutes to be exact until pitchers and catchers report.
Category: Miscellaneous
Fantasy Hockey Updates
I haven't provided many updates so far this season on my fantasy hockey league. Every year I play in a fantasy hockey league and this year is the first year in a while that I haven't been hovering around the top of the league. Its going to take a late season push to get into the playoffs with really only another month or so left in the fantasy regular season.
So far the Sabres (a nice original name for my team) are in 9th place out of 12 teams, 7 points behind the 6th place Mesas. My record so far is 81-85-26. The league scores head to head for goals, assists, points, +/-, penalty minutes, powerplay goals, shorthanded goals, game winning goals, wins, goals against average, save %age, and shutouts.
This week I have my work cut out for me, I go against Headbangerz Hockey who is first overall with a record of 100-57-35 and 235 points.
To date my leaders are:
Brad Richards with 39 points
Travis Zajac and Martin Havlat both with 15 goals
Brad Richards with 27 assists
Blake Wheeler with a +27
Alex Burrows with 74 penalty minutes
Shea Weber wtih 6 powerplay goals (I know a defenceman leading my team in powerplay goals)
Thomas Plekanec despite a disappointing season is leading with 3 short handed goals
Shea Weber with 3 game winners
Mikka Kiprusoff with 28 wins
Scott Clemmensen with a 2.29 GAA and a .922 save %age
Ryan Miller and Kiprusoff are tied with 3 shutouts each
Regular updates every week!
Category: Fantasy Hockey Updates
This Machine Hurts
I have been relatively silent the last few days because I have rediscovered the gym. Yesterday I got home from swim practice and where I would usually hop on and do a few posts, I came home and crashed.
Since last Monday I have dropped 5 pounds and am up to 10 minutes on the elliptical machine that I have added to my cardio workout.
So far, I have not lost a lot on the stationary bike, I do about 30-40 minutes on there and last Tuesday I started doing the elliptical by doing 5 minutes. Each day since I have added 30 seconds to it. Today I did 10 minutes on the thing.
For those of you who use this piece of equipment you know where I am coming from when I say it is a bear. I am sore from the limited time I have been on it so far and after 10 minutes today I feel it, especially in my shoulders and thorax.
I figure if I am ever going to make a serious run at getting myself swimming again and potentially competitive, this device needs to be a part of my daily dry land routine to get my arms involved and conditioned. I figure if I can take off about 40-50 pounds, I can start thinking about a return to the pool, until then I need to strengthen, slim down and condition the cardiovascular system.
Ill give updates as I progress.
Category: Miscellaneous
Not The Answer
After an 11 year old brought a gun to school, the Buffalo School District is considering metal detectors in the schools. I have to say from a common sense point of view I really think its over reacting.
In any school district and more likely than not, any city school you are going to have your share of incidents but kids actually bringing guns to school are rare. How would you like your kids to see the above scene every time they walk in the door of their school?
Don't you think they will feel a little intimidated? Some would say yes and respond by saying that that is how they should feel in school.
I beg to differ. Kids need to feel safe and maybe metal detectors would provide that safety, but kids also need to feel trusted. They need to feel they are in a caring and sensitive environment or as one book I read put it, a "brain friendly" environment.
Seeing and going through a metal detector every day would not be my idea of a brain friendly learning environment and realistically would put everyone from the students to the faculty on edge right from the time they walk in the door in the morning. That is not how you want to start 180 days of the year. Kids would feel threatened right from the start and its asking for more behaviors as soon as they walk through that metal detector.
There have got to be other solutions to the issue of violence and specifically, if it really is that common of an occurance, weapons in school. What I haven't heard a lot of is that this child was caught with the gun without incidence. No metal detector necessary.
Joe Carter For the Hall
With the recent news about Mark McGwire and his definitive steroid use, he will most likely not make the hall of fame. "The Steroid Era" will help guys like Jim Rice who recently got in as well as guys such as Andre Dawson who continues to wait and deserves to get in.
The other guy who I will continue to make a case for here is Joe Carter. Instead of doing it with words, lets let the numbers do the talking since, after all, that is usually what gets them in:
Jim Rice: 382 HR, 373 doubles, 2452 hits, 1249 runs, 1451 RBI's, 58 stolen bases, .289 career batting average
Joe Carter: 396 HR, 432 doubles, 2184 hits, 1170 runs, 1445 RBI's, 231 stolen bases, .259 career batting average
Nearly identical numbers with Carter edging him out in HR, doubles and stolen bases.
Lets throw in Dawson's numbers:
Andre Dawson: 438 HR, 503 doubles, 2774 hits, 1373 runs, 1591 RBI's, 314 stolen bases and .279 career batting average.
Looking at that Dawson should have gone in years ago well ahead of Rice. Instead Rice gets in because he played for a high profile team. Lets count the world championships between the three of them....2. Joe Carter with both and Carter made the series ending out in one of the series and the series winning walkoff homerun in the other.
Im not saying Jim Rice doesn't belong, but with his entry others need to be looked at closely for admission especially since these guys were not part of a tainted era. The next two sluggers in should be Dawson and Carter. Dale Murphy is another and if you compare Murphy to Carter and Dawson the numbers aren't far off on any of them.
Im willing to bet that if Carter didn't spend his big years with the Jays and a miserable Indians team, he would be in already. How many world series did Dale Murphy win? Lets change that, how many did he play in....ZERO.
Carter has the numbers and the intangibles that make him hall of famer add to that the fact that Carter was one of the nicest guys you'd ever meet and never had any run ins with the media, you would think the media that votes on this and the writers would have favored him a little. .
Category: Sports
Mid-Season Report Card
The Sabres have come into the All Star Break one game over .500, 24-18-5. I count the 5 overtime losses in the loss column. They are what they are, losses. So, since we are at mid-season and I have tried to post on every game this year, though I have left a few out, I figured I would give my two cents on the season to this point:
Front Office: Grade D: Darcy Regier has been very silent. That should surprise no one, he usually is. He waits and waits and strikes at the trade deadline. Only the last few years he has subtracted from this team via trades and inaction. Don't get me wrong, he is a great GM. He has gotten players he had no business getting like Chris Gratton for Danny Briere, Mike Wilson for Rhett Warrener...he has made some great acquisitions, but this team has needed a move since November, he is lucky they are in a playoff spot with the current roster otherwise, he gets an F.
Coaching: Grade B+: Give Lindy credit, he keeps finding ways to keep this team playing even when they seem down and out. They have hit a couple of skids this year leaving us wondering if they were going to wake up and they have and that is the sign that their coach can still press the right buttons. Darcy needs to press some buttons soon and get Lindy and this defense some help. I heard a rumor that Mathieu Schneider might be that help.
Goalie: Grade C+: If not for a hot January, this would be a D. Ryan Miller had his spurts before this month but nothing like what he has been doing lately. He finally looks focused and could be ready to peak just at the right time. If not for his stellar play they would probably be in 11th or 12th right now instead of 7th. It needs to continue on the west coast trip after the All Star Break or this team will fall.
Defense: Grade C: They have been adequate at best and thats just not good enough. They are probably the most fraggile bunch in the league with Rivet, Tallinder, Numminen and Sekera all seeing significant time on IR this year. They need a guy who can play the powerplay and score from the point. Tim Connolly doesn't count, he's a forward who just happens to know how to play the point on a power play. There is no take charge guy who skates north south on this defense, watch them skate out of their zone, its lateral movement counting on the forwards to get open, its never a guy skating it up ice. Once in a while Sekera will get daring but he's hurt. They need help and fast, they have five defensemen left after the break. Someone tap Darcy and wake him up he might have to make a move before the deadline.
Forwards: Grade C+: They too have been adequate. Derek Roy's recent surge has helped them get to that C+, that and Drew Stafford is starting to play to his potential in spurts. Guys who are dragging this team down offensively: Ales Kotalik, Max Afinogenov, Daniel Paille Adam Mair. Come Darcy, you have Gerbe and Mancari in Portland put a trade together with one of the above mentioned names and get some help. Injuries have hurt with Connolly being out but if he can stay healthy and contribute like he has, this unit will surprise people down the stretch. No one has handled the puck as well as Connolly in this league since probably Gretzky.
Category: Buffalo Sabres Hockey
What I Won't Watch Today
As big of a hockey fan as I am, I will not watch the pathetic display that the NHL puts on today. The All Star game has become a joke. Its no better than the NFL Pro Bowl that nobody watches.
I was quickly reminded of why I will not watch today as I sat watching yesterday with my dad. The breakaway competition was a sad excuse for a skills competition. It was ballet dancing with a puck and stick. The goal wasn't to score on scrub goalies as much as it was to dance around as much as possible with the puck and scoring was secondary.
The fastest skater was okay, the hardest shot was okay, that kind of stuff I can get behind. But the breakaway skill was a joke. Ovechkin with all his talent made a mockery of the thing with his two stick and goofy hat thing. Thats exactly what it all was, goofy.
Today will be no different, the players will skate around and score about 20 goals between the two teams and one team will win 12-8 or something like that. Nothing we ever see during a regular season or playoff game.
Whats the worst part and the main reason why I don't waste me time is that integral parts of the game are left out because the players and coaches are too chicken shit to get anyone hurt. Hitting is an integral part of this game and if you have time on your hands, tune in, you won't see anyone touch anyone else. You'd be better off putting them all on a bubble hockey board, they can only skate in straight lines and no one will lay a finger on anyone.
Hitting and checking is part of this game, its the reason why some guys get voted in. But you won't see it. You won't see any powerplays because no one will play hard enough or play desparate enough to hit anyone or hook anyone for a penalty. Again, all part of the game.
The reason I chose the French logo was because the bottom word Etoiles, kind of looks like toilet, which is exactly where they should put this game, in the toilet. It doesn't provide the casual fan or any new fan for that matter who may tune in, an appropriate view of why the game of hockey is great. Yes the wide open play is nice, but so are the hits, the aggressiveness and the physical play that you would see if these players were playing in a game with some meaning.
Category: Hockey
Sunday Retro
New Order's Republic album was released in 1993, if you are a fan of that time period, this album was all over the place and made a huge splash in a grunge dominated music scene.
New Order sprang from the ashes of Joy Division after lead singer Ian Curtis committed suicide. The band is still out there recording and touring today.
Today's selection is Regret, probably my favorite New Order track of all time:
Category: Sunday Retro
Finally, Science Prevails
Federal funding for embryonic stem cell research is back and the Obama administration comes through early on its promise that science will prevail.
For eight long years, George W. Bush and his religious beliefs wrongly interfered with research on embryonic stem cells and prevented any progress from being made on potentially curing or at the very least improving the lives of spinal cord patients and who knows how many other people with other diagnoses that could benefit from stem cells.
Barack Obama signed an executive order overturning George W.'s ban on federal money going to stem cell research projects and that is good news.
For the religious whacks out there, Id rather save the person I know and love with a spinal cord injury than the already aborted and frozen embryo. Experiments have already been done in rats that have shown that after severing a rats spinal cord, they could inject with stem cells and the rat will regain lower extremity use after the introduction of stem cells.
That is science worth pursuing.
Get On Your Boots
This is the new U2 Single Get On Your Boots, pretty interesting, looking forward to the rest of the album and definitely looking forward to seeing them live this time around, they usually do a Buffalo show.
Category: Music
Buh Bye
He's off to a great start. Closing Guantanamo Bay will do a few things: First it will save money. Second, it will eliminate that torture base that we have down there.
President Obama made a big statement today by signing the executive order to close Guantanamo. He essentially said there will be no more torture under this administration. No more water boarding or torture of any kind will be used to interrogate prisoners/terrorists in this country. That is because he knows that torture does not work.
I wonder if this is also a statement to George W. and Dick Cheney who have for all intensive purposes admitted to using torture, that we closed your play pen, now we are coming after you for ordering this kind of treatment.
By establishing a timeline for closure, Obama will insure that there is a plan in place to send prisoners to selected sites and what to do with whom. There are three kinds of prisoners, ones who they think are innocent, ones who are innocent but if they send them back to their home countries they will be killed or the ones they know are guilty and awaiting trial. Where do they put the guilty ones and what kind of trials will they put to? Will there have to be a special court?
Obama and his staff are well qualified to determine those things with Obama's law background so it will be interesting to see what takes place there.
Earlier on the radio I heard the jack ass Rush Limbaugh who was more concerned about his supposed business that he runs at some resort there at Gitmo. Apparently Rush has a line of apparel and collectables that he is now concerned about not being able to sell. Is he kidding? No mention of how good it is that it is closing because of all the torture has taken place there, its all about A#1 with Rushbo. He is so out of touch and so incapable of seeing reality.
Category: Politics
Now For Some Music
I have been ignoring Mandatory Music Monday's the last few weeks and for that I apologize. Either I don't have time to post or like the Obama events of this week, I just plain forgot.
So, today Im just going to give a little Youtube music video with the promise that I will start to make regular or at least semi-regular attempts to get back to doing the Monday thing.
Today, I give you Rush's Show Don't Tell. Like most my age I started listening to Rush as a middle/highschooler back in the 80's. My first Rush purchase was Hold Your Fire, then Power Windows. The two synth heavy albums that to this day are still two of my favorite Rush releases.
Then in 1989 as a sophmore in highschool, Presto came out. In many ways it was still synth heavy material but the opening track brought them back to the drums, bass and guitar they were always known for and really got me into the older Rush like Caress of Steel and their self titled release. Since Presto they have slowly but surely gone back to a heavier drums, bass and guitar sound.
Show Don't Tell was awesome, starting with a little quiet Neil drum thing and explodes into the heart of the song, check it out:
Category: Music
Belated Birthday
You know, with the swim meet over the weekend and stuff going on this week, I forgot to post my dad's birthday! John is 62 years old as of this past Monday! Like all the Buffalo Boy Mike Birthdays he gets the usual: Happy Birthday Homer!
Category: Birthdays
Maybe I Should Use It
Our landlord came to the house a few weeks back and brought with him new batteries for the smoke detectors and he also dropped off a carbon monoxide detector. I took it from him, set it on the kitchen counter and forgot about it. (yes I replaced the smoke detector battery).
Then the other day, <a href="http://www.wgrz.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=63566">Amanda Hansen</a> died of carbon monoxide poisoning. She was 16 years old and from West Seneca. An absolute unexpected and devastating tragedy. Everyone's heart goes out to her, too young to go from such a trivial cause such as that. Its really something that could have been prevented but who knew?
Suffice it to say, after seeing a story like that a few weeks after getting a free detector from my landlord, I am going to dig it out of its hiding place and plug the thing it, I mean why not? With all the things that could go wrong and kill you in your sleep, I would like to eliminate one thing by doing something as simple as that.
Category: News
Stop Getting In The Way
Its not often that a business or organization comes along in Buffalo or any city for that matter and actually wants to build a $300+ million dollar building. Thats exactly what the Seneca's have been trying to do. That and offer thousands of jobs to a job starved community.
However, there is a group that has been fighting this tooth and nail that thinks that Buffalo would be better off without thousands of new jobs and without a brand new building and tourist attraction that could help to jumpstart the economy around the harbour projects.
Today, the Seneca's got some good news from the National Indian Gaming Commission, approving a gaming ordinance for the Seneca Creek Casino. Now if only these bastards who are trying to block the thing would get the hell out of the way and go get jobs.
Its one thing to oppose something, you don't like it, fine, no one is putting a gun to the people who are part of this group forcing them to go to the casino. Just don't go. But when you are part of a group, whose funding has come from other casinos, namely some Las Vegas Casino's back the hell off and let this project go through. They call themselves Citizens for a Better Buffalo or something, well to me, a better Buffalo is one with a new $300 million building and 1200 new jobs, the positives in this case far outweigh the negatives, but thats just my two cents.Signs of Spring
Not that Im counting or anything, but there are signs of spring in the air. I went to the Toronto Blue Jays website today and they have the countdown to spring training timer up and running. There are just 25 days, 10 hours and 8 minutes left as of the time I wrote this post.
In a few weeks I'll start previewing the Jays up coming season. Ahhh can ya feel the warmth? Spring is upon us!Category: Signs of Spring
Obama's Inauguration Speech
Here is the full text of his speech given just after noon today:
My fellow citizens:
I stand here today humbled by the task before us, grateful for the trust you have bestowed, mindful of the sacrifices borne by our ancestors. I thank President Bush for his service to our nation, as well as the generosity and cooperation he has shown throughout this transition.
Forty-four Americans have now taken the presidential oath. The words have been spoken during rising tides of prosperity and the still waters of peace. Yet, every so often the oath is taken amidst gathering clouds and raging storms. At these moments, America has carried on not simply because of the skill or vision of those in high office, but because we the people have remained faithful to the ideals of our forebears, and true to our founding documents.
So it has been. So it must be with this generation of Americans.
That we are in the midst of crisis is now well understood. Our nation is at war, against a far-reaching network of violence and hatred. Our economy is badly weakened, a consequence of greed and irresponsibility on the part of some, but also our collective failure to make hard choices and prepare the nation for a new age. Homes have been lost; jobs shed; businesses shuttered. Our health care is too costly; our schools fail too many; and each day brings further evidence that the ways we use energy strengthen our adversaries and threaten our planet.
These are the indicators of crisis, subject to data and statistics. Less measurable but no less profound is a sapping of confidence across our land — a nagging fear that America's decline is inevitable, and that the next generation must lower its sights.
Today I say to you that the challenges we face are real. They are serious and they are many. They will not be met easily or in a short span of time. But know this, America — they will be met.
On this day, we gather because we have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord.
On this day, we come to proclaim an end to the petty grievances and false promises, the recriminations and worn out dogmas, that for far too long have strangled our politics.
We remain a young nation, but in the words of scripture, the time has come to set aside childish things. The time has come to reaffirm our enduring spirit; to choose our better history; to carry forward that precious gift, that noble idea, passed on from generation to generation: the God-given promise that all are equal, all are free and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness.
In reaffirming the greatness of our nation, we understand that greatness is never a given. It must be earned. Our journey has never been one of shortcuts or settling for less. It has not been the path for the faint-hearted — for those who prefer leisure over work, or seek only the pleasures of riches and fame. Rather, it has been the risk-takers, the doers, the makers of things — some celebrated but more often men and women obscure in their labor, who have carried us up the long, rugged path towards prosperity and freedom.
For us, they packed up their few worldly possessions and traveled across oceans in search of a new life.
For us, they toiled in sweatshops and settled the West; endured the lash of the whip and plowed the hard earth.
For us, they fought and died, in places like Concord and Gettysburg; Normandy and Khe Sahn.
Time and again these men and women struggled and sacrificed and worked till their hands were raw so that we might live a better life. They saw America as bigger than the sum of our individual ambitions; greater than all the differences of birth or wealth or faction.
This is the journey we continue today. We remain the most prosperous, powerful nation on Earth. Our workers are no less productive than when this crisis began. Our minds are no less inventive, our goods and services no less needed than they were last week or last month or last year. Our capacity remains undiminished. But our time of standing pat, of protecting narrow interests and putting off unpleasant decisions — that time has surely passed. Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and begin again the work of remaking America.
For everywhere we look, there is work to be done. The state of the economy calls for action, bold and swift, and we will act — not only to create new jobs, but to lay a new foundation for growth. We will build the roads and bridges, the electric grids and digital lines that feed our commerce and bind us together. We will restore science to its rightful place, and wield technology's wonders to raise health care's quality and lower its cost. We will harness the sun and the winds and the soil to fuel our cars and run our factories. And we will transform our schools and colleges and universities to meet the demands of a new age. All this we can do. And all this we will do.
Now, there are some who question the scale of our ambitions — who suggest that our system cannot tolerate too many big plans. Their memories are short. For they have forgotten what this country has already done; what free men and women can achieve when imagination is joined to common purpose, and necessity to courage.
What the cynics fail to understand is that the ground has shifted beneath them — that the stale political arguments that have consumed us for so long no longer apply. The question we ask today is not whether our government is too big or too small, but whether it works — whether it helps families find jobs at a decent wage, care they can afford, a retirement that is dignified. Where the answer is yes, we intend to move forward. Where the answer is no, programs will end. And those of us who manage the public's dollars will be held to account — to spend wisely, reform bad habits, and do our business in the light of day — because only then can we restore the vital trust between a people and their government.
Nor is the question before us whether the market is a force for good or ill. Its power to generate wealth and expand freedom is unmatched, but this crisis has reminded us that without a watchful eye, the market can spin out of control — and that a nation cannot prosper long when it favors only the prosperous. The success of our economy has always depended not just on the size of our gross domestic product, but on the reach of our prosperity; on our ability to extend opportunity to every willing heart — not out of charity, but because it is the surest route to our common good.
As for our common defense, we reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals. Our founding fathers, faced with perils we can scarcely imagine, drafted a charter to assure the rule of law and the rights of man, a charter expanded by the blood of generations. Those ideals still light the world, and we will not give them up for expedience's sake. And so to all other peoples and governments who are watching today, from the grandest capitals to the small village where my father was born: know that America is a friend of each nation and every man, woman, and child who seeks a future of peace and dignity, and that we are ready to lead once more.
Recall that earlier generations faced down fascism and communism not just with missiles and tanks, but with sturdy alliances and enduring convictions. They understood that our power alone cannot protect us, nor does it entitle us to do as we please. Instead, they knew that our power grows through its prudent use; our security emanates from the justness of our cause, the force of our example, the tempering qualities of humility and restraint.
We are the keepers of this legacy. Guided by these principles once more, we can meet those new threats that demand even greater effort — even greater cooperation and understanding between nations. We will begin to responsibly leave Iraq to its people, and forge a hard-earned peace in Afghanistan. With old friends and former foes, we will work tirelessly to lessen the nuclear threat, and roll back the specter of a warming planet. We will not apologize for our way of life, nor will we waver in its defense, and for those who seek to advance their aims by inducing terror and slaughtering innocents, we say to you now that our spirit is stronger and cannot be broken; you cannot outlast us, and we will defeat you.
For we know that our patchwork heritage is a strength, not a weakness. We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus — and non-believers. We are shaped by every language and culture, drawn from every end of this Earth; and because we have tasted the bitter swill of civil war and segregation, and emerged from that dark chapter stronger and more united, we cannot help but believe that the old hatreds shall someday pass; that the lines of tribe shall soon dissolve; that as the world grows smaller, our common humanity shall reveal itself; and that America must play its role in ushering in a new era of peace.
To the Muslim world, we seek a new way forward, based on mutual interest and mutual respect. To those leaders around the globe who seek to sow conflict, or blame their society's ills on the West — know that your people will judge you on what you can build, not what you destroy. To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history; but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist.
To the people of poor nations, we pledge to work alongside you to make your farms flourish and let clean waters flow; to nourish starved bodies and feed hungry minds. And to those nations like ours that enjoy relative plenty, we say we can no longer afford indifference to suffering outside our borders; nor can we consume the world's resources without regard to effect. For the world has changed, and we must change with it.
As we consider the road that unfolds before us, we remember with humble gratitude those brave Americans who, at this very hour, patrol far-off deserts and distant mountains. They have something to tell us today, just as the fallen heroes who lie in Arlington whisper through the ages. We honor them not only because they are guardians of our liberty, but because they embody the spirit of service; a willingness to find meaning in something greater than themselves. And yet, at this moment — a moment that will define a generation — it is precisely this spirit that must inhabit us all.
For as much as government can do and must do, it is ultimately the faith and determination of the American people upon which this nation relies. It is the kindness to take in a stranger when the levees break, the selflessness of workers who would rather cut their hours than see a friend lose their job which sees us through our darkest hours. It is the firefighter's courage to storm a stairway filled with smoke, but also a parent's willingness to nurture a child, that finally decides our fate.
Our challenges may be new. The instruments with which we meet them may be new. But those values upon which our success depends — hard work and honesty, courage and fair play, tolerance and curiosity, loyalty and patriotism — these things are old. These things are true. They have been the quiet force of progress throughout our history. What is demanded then is a return to these truths. What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility — a recognition, on the part of every American, that we have duties to ourselves, our nation, and the world, duties that we do not grudgingly accept but rather seize gladly, firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character, than giving our all to a difficult task.
This is the price and the promise of citizenship.
This is the source of our confidence — the knowledge that God calls on us to shape an uncertain destiny.
This is the meaning of our liberty and our creed — why men and women and children of every race and every faith can join in celebration across this magnificent mall, and why a man whose father less than sixty years ago might not have been served at a local restaurant can now stand before you to take a most sacred oath.
So let us mark this day with remembrance, of who we are and how far we have traveled. In the year of America's birth, in the coldest of months, a small band of patriots huddled by dying campfires on the shores of an icy river. The capital was abandoned. The enemy was advancing. The snow was stained with blood. At a moment when the outcome of our revolution was most in doubt, the father of our nation ordered these words be read to the people:
"Let it be told to the future world ... that in the depth of winter, when nothing but hope and virtue could survive...that the city and the country, alarmed at one common danger, came forth to meet (it)."
America, in the face of our common dangers, in this winter of our hardship, let us remember these timeless words. With hope and virtue, let us brave once more the icy currents, and endure what storms may come. Let it be said by our children's children that when we were tested we refused to let this journey end, that we did not turn back nor did we falter; and with eyes fixed on the horizon and God's grace upon us, we carried forth that great gift of freedom and delivered it safely to future generations.
Category: Politics
1 Day Left
One day to go......Im kinda going to miss him in a weird sort of way.....okay maybe not...maybe if he wasn't screwing up this country as president he would be somewhat tolerable....maybe.
Anyway, in a few short hours, George W. Bush will no longer be president of the USA. We made it folks. Lets remember this and make sure it never happens again. (In other words, no Sarah Palin in 2012, that would be W. in womens clothing....ewwww)
Was he the worst president ever? You all know how I feel, what about the BBM readers?
Category: George W. Countdown
U2 At The Inauguration
Here is the performance yesterday on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. Probably one of the more memorable U2 performances of all time and probably the best way to pay tribute to Dr. King:
Category: Music
Sunday Retro
Pride, no one word means more this week than that one. No American band has written a song as meaningful as the one four Irish boys from Dublin wrote. It will mean more than ever this week not for Martin Luther King Day tomorrow. That it will always symbolize. Tuesday, the dreams and speeches of MLK will have finally seen their meaning and purpose come to pass.
When Barack Obama is sworn in on Tuesday, Dr. Kings work and all those who walked in footsteps after will realize their full meaning. What he and countless others have fought for will finally have their fullest meaning.
U2 wrote Pride In the Name of Love for Dr. King. Today when I got home, I turned on HBO and watched the inauguration celebration and when U2 came on stage it was probably one of the most inspirational musical moments I have seen in a while. They wrote this song as a tribute to an American Icon. U2 are America's adopted sons and they showed as much as they played their anthem on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in front of who knows how many people.
This Sunday Retro, I give you U2 and Pride, who knew that all those years later after they wrote that song, that they would be playing it where it was meant to be played:
Category: Sunday Retro
2 Days To Go
In two days there will be no more George W. Bush. It can't come soon enough. Instead of listing all the crap over his administration I have been trying to provide laughable moments. Today, another comedian Bill Maher has been a real champion of the Anti Bush movement in this country and he has provided some very funny moments while referring to the mess the administration has been:
Category: George W. Countdown
Sabres 3, Hurricanes 1
Maybe they have turned the corner.....Thursday night after a dismal looking loss to Chicago, the Sabres traveled to Dallas in the wee hours of the morning and came out with a 4-2 win.
Last night after a long trip back from Dallas back to Buffalo for their last home game till February, the team was vowing to have a strong game before they went on the road. I thought that, hey even if they can grab a point it would be impressive considering the energy spent on a road trip to Chicago and Dallas that saw them get little rest and log a ton of miles in just three days. Instead, they came out Saturday night and with the help of two goals from Tim Connolly, they beat the Hurricanes and provided themselves a little room in the Eastern Conference standings with a win. Tim Connolly makes this team a totally different team offensively when he is healthy and on his game and the last two games in Dallas and last night agains the Hurricanes, Tim Connolly looked like he was rounding into form. If thats the case, this long western road trip that is coming up doesn't look so bad anymore. He can give a defense fits and he provides the wingers he skates with a true playmaking center that can feed them the puck. Add to Tim Connolly that Ryan Miller is looking like an All Star goalie again and the second half of this season can be pretty promising. Next up, tomorrow night in Florida.Category: Buffalo Sabres Hockey
Keith's Rundown of Bush
Keith Olbermann sum's up Bush in 8 minutes:Category: George W. Countdown
He May Be Innocent
This article was on Yahoo Sports by Jonathan Littman and he goes into the expert testimony that states that the "clear" which was the main drug implicated in the Balco case against Bonds and the sole reason why he is being indicted on perjury charges, was actually legal at the time.
The "clear" or THG was not considered to be a steroid according the US Government at the time and therefore, when Bonds testified, he may have in fact been telling the truth! So, if it wasn't a steroid, when he says that to his knowledge he was not taking a steroid at the time was essentially a true statement and therefore, he should not be put on trial for committing perjurous statements. The cream which was a masking agent and was develop to mask the clear, however, since the clear was not considered a banned substance at the time, it masked nothing of significance. Still with me? Since that is the case, nothing that Bonds was given or used at the time was illegal, what is the problem with him getting a nod for the hall? There are no charges that are relevant, he will probably get off with this testimony as well. I didn't like him either, but how was he supposed to know anything when really, what they were asking him and what he was taking at the time were two totally different things. They were asking if he was taking illegal substances, he, to the best of his knowledge was correct and as long as he didn't take nor is proven to have taken anything else, Bonds is right here. If he gets off with no punishment from the trial, he will go to the hall of fame and the asterisks need to be removed. He did it legally. Same could very well go for Mark McGwire, he was taking androstene at the time and as it turns out when he was taking it, it was legal. Like it or not, Bonds has a legitimate case here.Swim Meet
Don't know how much bloggage will be happening this weekend, we have a two day meet in Eden, NY this weekend. Its Bronze District Championships this weekend. Two days of watching slow swimming!
The goal of this meet is for kids to swim for silver times. The lowest times are bronze, then silver, then gold and then from there it gets into A, AA, AAA times and eventually national cuts.
So as far as fast meets go, this is one of the slower ones. Still just as fun to see the kids improve though. If I don't post too much, leave any news events in the comment section.
Category: Swimming
Lies, Lies, Lies
Donald Kohn the Vice Federal Reserve Chairman, answered to congress and one second gave one answer and then gave a totally different answer immediately after.
He was asked whether the taxpayers should know how the money from the inital bailout was spent and the types of lending that are going on. He agreed that we should know yet comes back and says that if we knew that information no one would take advantage of those loans and it would negatively affect those institutions.
$4000 from every man, woman and child was given out as quoted from the following video, gone and we have no idea what these clowns did with it, in part because there was no oversight written into the bill,
Blackhawks 4, Sabres 1
Last nights game was pathetic. I watched the Rangers game wondering how could they even be tied at the end of three and an overtime. Their offense was completely flat and their defensemen don't rush up ice with the puck they go laterally and count on the forwards to create the initial pressure into the opposing zone.
Detroit with 48 shots on goal should have destroyed us 10-1 and if not for Ryan Miller they would have.
Last night? They lost 4-1 and deserved to again. They talk about being a tight knit group yet when Drew Srafford gets attacked by three Blackhawks, Thomas Vanek, Derek Roy and the others on the ice did nothing! Completely flat, completely emotionless. Completely the opposite of their captain Craig Rivet.
So where is Rivet's influence? Where is the intensity he was supposed to bring to this team? Im not expecting Chris Drury-like leadership, just be half that. Thats all. Enough to keep the younger guys in that locker room honest. If they keep on playing like that, by the time they get back from their two+ week road trip, there won't be a fan in the building.
It would be easy to lay last night on Patrick Lalime, but the fact is the whole team was awful. If even half the team shows up they have a chance to win last night. It wasn't Chicago playing great, it was Buffalo playing piss poor and uninterested hockey. In the last three games, they have scored a grand total of three goals with Derek Roy scoring two of them. That is not enough, they were lucky to win one of those in a shootout. One goal a game won't cut it.
Its time for Darcy to get up out of his GM's office and try to shake something up and maybe even acquire a defenseman who can skate up ice with the puck, that would be a start. After that, try to find a forward who can inspire these guys just a little.
Category: Buffalo Sabres Hockey
The Farewell Address!
This is it right? This means that he is oh so close to leaving, Thank you Mr. W and don't let the door hit you or Dick Cheney shoot you on the way out. Did a tear come to your eye? Actually for most it was a tear of joy, that he is finally leaving. If there is a just world then this administration will be charged with war crimes as soon as they walk out of the White House. The scary thing is that he could in essence pardon his administration including himself. No president has ever pardoned himself and yes you can pardon someone for a crime they have not yet been convicted of. He still doesn't get it, he still doesn't get that he has lied to this country throughout his presidency, lied about campaign promises, mismanaged wars and the economy and failed to have anything that resembled an energy policy. He has instilled failed education programs that were underfunded and carried out ineffectively and he and his administration have knowingly allowed war crimes to occur against prisoners of war and have purposely spied on its own citizens. Its a laundry list a mile long. Iraq has universal health care because our government pays for it, we are stuck with a broken system. Bin Laden has not been caught who was the real mastermind of 9/11 and Al Qaeda is stronger now than it was 7 years ago. Its pathetic. You have not made us safer by invading Iraq, you have made us weaker, the money we have spent there could have been better spent here on healthcare, education and local law enforcement which is really what is going to stop terrorism. You keep our country safe by investing in the homeland, not in other lands overseas. You make us safer by keeping our military strong at home, not by losing thousands of lives trying to free a country in a part of the world that has always been and will always be a magnet for violence. You keep the money here and invest in the American people here at home!!! He is such a Dick, oh wait thats his vice president.I have held back over the last 10 days or so as we count down to his last days after hearing that speech I can hold back no more, Mr. Bush, you suck. So as with all his speeches I sat there after thinking of this scene:Category: George W. Countdown
Five Days To Go
With five days left of the Bush administration I give you Lewis Black who believe me has no love for George W. Bush.
This is a little story about George W. Bush and the Cedar Tree, its quite the funny story and a great example of George W.'s stupidity:
Category: George W. Countdown
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Class of '09
This years inductees included Metallica, Run DMC and Jeff Beck. not a bad class and all worthy of the hall. Im not a huge fan of any but all deserving.
I saw Metallica when they played HSBC a few years back and it was a great show especially when the stage fell apart around them, they had me and everyone else in the place thinking for a few minutes that it was really falling to the ground only to come back and jam some more.
Here area few samples of this years inductees, next year though, Im making a case for Rush to be inducted:
Jeff Beck and the Yardbirds with Heart Full of Soul: Run DMC with My Adidas, this song actually made me want a pair of Adidas when I was a kid: We shall do some live Metallica, its hard to believe its been 15 years or so since the Black Album came out. I wasn't a huge fan, but they were huge and still could go on tour today with nothing to release and still sell out every single venue. They are one of a handful of bands who has the following that can do that. The others being Pearl Jam and U2.Category: Music | Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 2009
Cold Weather does not Negate Global Warming
Just because its cold outside and the weather has been colder than normal does not mean that global warming is still not a concern.
Remember, it is GLOBAL warming so you need to take in the data from all over the globe. Just because Western New York had a cool finish to 2008 and a cold start to 2009 does not mean that the rest of the planet is doing the same thing.
In addition, weather, the stuff that is predicted over a seven day forecast is not climate. Climate is weather observed and recorded over an extremely long period of time, years, decades and centuries. The year 2008 was globally the 10th warmest on record since data started being collect in 1850 on a global scale.
Its still likely to get cold in the winter and think about it, when was the last time it has been this cold? Years? At least a few years. This early years colder weather is due to a persistent La Nina that has lasted longer than meteorologists had anticipated.
Its a complex thing our climate and weather is but the global warming data still stands up, its not to say you won't get cold events/weather over a given stretch of days.
Most of us are short sighted when it comes to the concept of global warming, we don't think outside of our own little world we live in on a day to day basis, so we strugge to grasp the concept of global warming being a truly global warming event. Right now the southern hemisphere is in the middle of their summer and Im sure that as cold as it is here, its just as hot there, when all the years data comes back, thats when we can compare it to the longer term models.Category: Global Warming
Trouble in the Cold
What they forget to tell you about caring for your pet in the cold is that when the snow is as deep as it is, smaller dogs like our boy Molson, has issues finding a spot to do his business.
That does two things, it not only makes him very cold but the one walking him has to wait him out in this miserable cold.
So, I had a brilliant idea, shovel part of the lawn off so he has a place to go! And what the hell do you think happened? I took him out, he circled in the spot I shoveled and went with in 60 seconds. Well god damn if I knew that two weeks ago I would have been a warmer and much happier dog owner.
Beagles are picky enough as it is without having a foot and a half of snow on the ground and so far by all accounts, hes not a big fan of the cold and snow as a few days he didn't even want to go out the door because it was too deep in the driveway for him.
The life of a small dog! Not too mention, in the deep snow his little pee pee must get friggin frost bitten never mind his paws.
Category: Molson
Still Waiting
The Plusdeck Ex, my prized birthday present from my lovely wife is still on back order. My birthday was in July. Every month my wife emails the company and the same response, its still on back order.
I have plans for this thing man! I have a stack of a few hundred cassettes that I want to convert directly to MP3's.
This device also has AM/FM radio, records AM/FM radio directly into MP3 and records internet sound bytes directly to MP3. Once I get it I have some CFNY treats to post so stay tuned and I will continue to provide updates on this now 7 going on 8 month back order.
Category: Miscellaneous
6 Days To Go
In six days we will be rid of President George W. Bush, hopefully his Texas home has no way out to keep him out of trouble. This is Stephen Colbert at the White House in 2006 roasting George W. Bush, check out the reaction at the end of the speech in the third video, it gives a good close up of Mrs. Bush providing Stephen with some parting words:
Category: George W. Countdown
7 Days To Go
Category: George W. Countdown
Cucumber?
Freddie P posted this today, had to share it with the Buffalo Boy peoples:
Category: Miscellaneous
8 more days
No one television show has had more fun with George W. Bush than perhaps the Daily Show with Jon Stewart. This is a nice little compilation of some of those moments:
Category: George W. Countdown
Rickey Gets The Nod
Rickey Henderson was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame today. It was a no brainer and makes him the fourth former Blue Jay to get in.
The other three include Paul Molitor, Dave Winfield and Phil Niekro.
Rickey goes in with 1,406 stolen bases, a career record that will never be broken, 2,295 runs scored and 81 games led off with a home run.
He holds season records for 130 stolen bases in a season and stolen bases in a single postseason series with 8 in the 1989 ALCS.
There are more former Jays on the way too. Jack Morris deserves it and will be on a shorter list next season and one that has me scratching my head is why Joe Carter has gotten no consideration. Roberto Alomar will be a tough one to keep out as well in 2010.
Category: Sports | Toronto Blue Jays
Red Wings 3, Sabres 1
Yikes, I thought being outshot 44-33 was bad on Friday night. Last night the Sabres hung on as long as they could but it wasn't meant to be. Not with their defense playing as soft and as timid as they were. Where was the hitting last night from guys like Craig Rivet and Sekera? Where was the aggressiveness when bringing the puck out of your own zone? Where was the pinching in at the points? This defense is soft and it was amazing the game was as close as it was while they were getting outshot 48-22.
The most amazing part about the night was the fact that Buffalo had a chance for a pity point with about 3 minutes left. After that, the Red Wings took control over a game that they should have won 10-0. Buffal was flat and awful for much of the game. They stayed back, threw very few hits and threw next to nothing at the net.
One good chance they had to take the lead in the third period, Jochen Hecht tried passing instead of putting the puck on net. It was a frustrating game to watch because there wasn't much there. If not for Ryan Miller, Buffalo would have been embarrassed last night. Miller should get some player of the week consideration, allowing one goal Friday night to the Rangers on 44 shots and then just 3 last night on 48.
We have one more home game before a two and a half week road trip that takes us out west. Its not a pretty schedule. The only comforting thing about going on the road that long is that they have been playing .500 hockey on the road.
Category: Buffalo Sabres Hockey
Sunday Retro
Back to normal now on Sunday with the Holidays being completely over with. This week I am posting one of my favorite Pixies videos, Debaser. I didn't see them on their reunion tour, though it was a high priority. They could be added to my list of the ten bands I want to see live. This also happens to be a live version of the tune, enjoy! .Category: Music | Sunday Retro
Sabres 2, Rangers 1
Four in a row and Ryan Miller is finally looking like the goalie we need to make a playoff run. The Sabres last night were outshot and out played badly at times yet Ryan Miller stood on his head to keep the score tied and let this thing go to a shootout.
Its the type of game that a few weeks ago, would have gone the other way around for sure. Buffalo was outshot 44-33 overall and 28-13 through two periods. Derek Roy scored his 15th goal of the season and Thomas Vanek and Drew Stafford assisted on the goal.
Tonight we get Detroit and though it would be nice to see the win streak keep going, I think I would settle for a pity point tonight against a tough Detroit team. Ryan Miller should get the start, go with him as long as hes hot.
Category: Buffalo Sabres Hockey
10 More Days
The George W. Countdown continues and perhaps no other comedian did George W. quite like Will Ferrell. After the real Bush leaves the White House, Will Ferrell is doing an HBO George W. Bush farewell special and according to him, there will be no holds barred.
This is a little clip previewing what is to come from WIll Ferrell:
Category: George W. Countdown
11 Days To Go
I want to ask Green Day one day if they wrote American Idiot about W. I'll bet he at least inspired the lyrics. This is a neat little video featuring some of the bigger screw ups in W's many speeches:Category: George W. Countdown
Ralph Wilson: In or Out?
Here is an interesting question for Bills fans: Ralph Wilson is on the list of potential football Hall of Fame candidates...Does he belong in the Hall of Fame?
My vote would be no. Besides the Jim Kelly era, what has he done for this team? He doesn't put money into the parts of the team that will make it a better football team, he rapes the taxpayers of this community to help keep the team here and he has yet to create a scenario for the franchise that would keep it here after he kicks the bucket.
Im willing to listen to those of you who think yes based on his AFL days and what he has done for the league, but realistically what has he done for the city in which his team plays? That has to be part of it. He's done very little to get this team over the hump. No Super Bowl Championships to his credit.
Bruce Smith and Andre Reed are both on there and they should both be ahead of Ralph because though they didn't win championships, they were pro bowlers on the field who dominated at their respective positions. Has Ralph Wilson been a dominant owner in this league? Far from it.
The End of Empires?
Its sad to think that with the economic mess we are in, one of the best sporting events in the State of New York may come to an end or at the very least be a shadow of its former self.
Due to cuts in funding, the Empire State Games will be downsizing and offering fewer sports this year.
In addition, athletes may be required to pay a hefty price to compete, $300. That could be a huge deterent in and of itself. Swimming is still safe, as is gymnastics, rugby and tennis. Its sad, because the games are usually a welcome event to the host community and usually have a high economic impact with very little in the way of expense to the community. No special facilities need to be built for the games unlike the Olympics that require new facilities built and massive construction. Its a stage for local athletes to get statewide notice, many of whom wouldn't make the sports page if not for the opportunity to compete at the state level. If there is a list of events that should be funded despite the hard economic times for this state, the Empire State Games should be on the list of things that should continue to be funded.Category: Sports
12 Days To Go
This was a picture that I borrowed from Freddie P and it has been one of my favorite portrayals of the idiot.
It says so much. He has been giving this country and the middle/lower classes of this country the middle finger for the last 8 years with his horrid ability to manage this country and the mess he is about to hand to Obama. Im not going to get into specifics, we all know why we are where we are. Today, someone called the Randi Rhodes Show and was organizing a national one finger salute to the Bush administration as they leave the White House in 12 days. I say we all join in on that one and send him off the way he has been treating this country the last 8 years!Category: George W. Countdown
Porn Bailout?
According to porn guru Larry Flynt the porn industry needs some stimulation.......(this is where the late night talk shows take it, the jokes are many Im sure). I nearly drove off the road this morning when I heard the news about this.
Flynt must be completely off his rocker. $5 billion for the porn industry....He wants the US Government to stimulate the porn industry? If that happens, and I predict it will not, I am writing a letter to the federal government myself and asking for my own personal bailout. Was Flynt asking in hopes he would actually get a response? Who cares about the friggin survival of the porn industry. One porn film agency goes down, another one will sprout up to fill the needs of the horny American public without a sweat. I can't see the porn industry suffering, not like the auto industry, not like Wallstreet has and certainly not like the middle class of this country.It has to be a publicity stunt by Flynt to get some attention and its working, the talk shows are talking and Im giving my two cents....but really, I don't think the porn industry needs to be aroused with tax payer money.....thanks for the laughs though Mr. Flynt! The funniest part would be if the Feds actually listened and approved a bailout, could you imagine the outrage from the conservative, far right, Christians in this country? I think we should give the porno folks a little bit of what they are asking for just to get a reaction from the Christian right wingers.
GO AWAY!
As if Sarah Palin popping up as often as she has post-election sobbing about how the media was hard on her and its not fair, we have to see how Joe The Plumber thinks he can be Joe The War Correspondent.......Is he friggin kidding? This is a joke right? This guy is my top candidate for 2008's GO AWAY award, go back to using plungers to unclog sinks or what ever unlicensed plumbers do.
Category: Miscellaneous
It Was Not Racial
The whole Roland Burris thing is getting a little tiresome already. I turned on Rush Limbaugh today just to hear the absurdity and its as if the republicans are in a cave over why the senate leaders were not allowing this thing to go through. Rush tried implicating that its a race thing. How that can be contrived by his small mind is beyond me. What a short memory he has.
Remember Blagobitch? Yeah him? The guy who tried selling the seat and is still being impeached for the whole deal? Thats why they didn't want to just allow Burris the seat, because its essentially a bogus pick made by a governor that miraculously is still governor instead of in jail.
This falls on the shoulders of the Illinois State Senate for not impeaching Blagobitch before Christmas. Burris was not the best pick, Burris has lost several statewide primaries and political races in the past and rumor has it he was 7th on the list of possible candidates for Blago but none of the others wanted anything to do with the dirty bastard.
So here we are, Harry Reid and the Senate Majority with a tough decision, if they pick Burris like they did, then Blago wins and gets his way, if they don't then the dumb ass republicans in this country try to make it seem like the democrats all of sudden don't want him in the senate because of his race. Barack Obama and the other African American politicians haven't chimed in because they know that its A) a US Senate matter and B) not about race!
The fact is, in order to get the Burris sworn in they need the signatures of the Secretary of State and Blago. There is some question as to whether the Secretary of State will even sign their name to the choice, not because Burris isn't a good choice, but because of who made it.
They of course have since assured us that Burris will be seated, but the path to this was full of a lot of false statements made by idiots such as Limbaugh that made me sick and I sure many people bought into. The race card is simply not true and Rush Limbaugh, for those of you still listening to his load of crap, is trying stir up crap that just isn't there to stir up.
Now that this is over though, we really need to focus on the important new, like the economy and getting our new president sworn in.
Category: Politics
13 Days Left of W.
The following quote was from last February, just a few short months before gas prices spiked above $4, at that point, all you could do was laugh, we went through 8 years with this guy and he never really did have a clue.
"Wait a minute. What did you just say? You're predicting $4-a-gallon gas? ... That's interesting. I hadn't heard that." --George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., Feb. 28, 2008
Category: George W. Countdown
Sabres 4, Senators 2
There was a little of everything last night in the Sabres-Senators game at HSBC, goals, sloppy defense, good goaltending from Ryan Miller, fights, and biting. Did I say biting yes I did. The Sabres won their third in a row and Derek Roy, Thomas Vanek and Drew Stafford continued their hot play. Matt Ellis also scored for his 4th of the season. That goal doubles his previous high for goals in a season of two. I think we can also say for the first time this season, Ryan Miller is carrying this team a little. Yes they have scored 4 goals in three straight games and even with an average goalie, most teams will win in this league with four goals a night, but especially last night, Miller had to make some big saves including a big glove save against Jason Spezza in the third period to keep the score 3-2. Jarko Ruutu has officially become the new Sean Avery as he bit Andrew Peter's thumb. Is that what it has come down to now for the lowly Senators? Biting? Girl tactics? My how the Sens have fallen, when you resort to girly, Mike Tyson strategies when the going gets tough. Andrew Peters was about to tear his head off in a scrum and so instead of take Peters on man to man, Jarko must have been a little hungry. The biggest joke, which shows how incredibly inept the officiating in the NHL is, Andrew Peters got an unsportmanlike penalty for trying to point out the fact that the asshole bit him. Wake up NHL and suspend Jarko today, not tomorrow or the next day, look at the friggin film and put a stop to that kind of crap now:Category: Buffalo Sabres Hockey
Pre-Holiday Daily Show
I missed the Daily Show right before the Holidays. This was a clip of the last show before Jon Stewart and company took their vacation until the New Year. I was absolutely rolling on the floor for most of it. One of the funniest bits Jon has done in a while, check it out:
Category: Television
15 Days Left
Can we make it? Can we get through 15 more days of Dumb Ass Bush? As he leaves office he has been trumpeting to reporters all the perks of being an ex-president he is going to enjoy out of office.
Its too bad he didn't enjoy too many while in office. As he ducks out, his approval rating remains at all time lows for a sitting president and well, he is going out relatively quietly....thats surprising considering his flare for the idiotic and compulsively stupid.
Anyway, despite the horrible governance he has provided his country as the president, he has also allowed comedians a lot of material, so instead of crabbing about him and kicking him when he is down, which believe me, would be just as enjoyable, I say we let him leave us with a laugh. The next 15 days, I will post his funnier moments, starting with this outtake from an Autism fundraiser featuring dialogue between Will Ferrell and Jon Stewart
Category: George W. Countdown
Mandatory Music Monday
Every Monday I post a tune and this week, being the first full week of January I found the appropriately titled January's Little Joke off the Trash Can Sinatra's cd Cake from back in 1990. The Trash Cans recently released a new single not long ago with hopefully a new full length cd in '09.Category: Mandatory Music Mondays
Jack Morris Is Hall Worthy
Jack Morris has been on the Baseball Hall of Fame Ballot for a few years now and has come up empty up till this year. This year, he deserves to make it in. If Todd Stottlemyre can even get on a ballot, Jack Morris should be in no questions asked.
The reasons he has not gotten the vote in to this point are few. One of which his relationship with baseball writers and the media wasn't exactly stellar and he had a lifetime 3.90 ERA, not exactly the best ERA ever to go into the hall.
But, if you take a closer look at his career it also features this:
Three World Series Championships with three different teams: The Detroit Tigers, Minnesota Twins and Toronto Blue Jays.
He won 20 games three times in his career with three different teams, Tigers, Twins and Jays.
He has 254 career regular season wins, and is 7-4 lifetime in postseason play including 2 wins in the 1991 World Series that saw him post a 1.17 ERA and a 2-0 record in the 1984 World Series with a 2.00 ERA.
He didn't fare all that well in the post-season with Toronto but in 1992, if he hadn't won 21 games during the regular season, they may not have made the post-season to begin with.
The guy ate innings too. of his 527 starts, 175 of those were complete games. In a stretch from 1980 to 1991, Morris threw no fewer than 9 complete games. To put that in perspective, Roy Halladay, who has had more complete games than any other pitcher in baseball since 2003 has had NO MORE than 9 in any given season, including this past year in which he had 9. Morris threw 20 complete games in 1983.
The mustache alone should be shaven off his face and put in the hall next to his plaque. Jack deserves it and out of the other players on this years ballot I put him no worse than third behind Rickey Henderson, also a former Jay that helped out in those World Series years and Bert Blylevyn another underrated pitcher that deserves to get in.
Category: Sports
US Needs To Steer Clear
So far I'm impressed. The US has limited its involvement to commenting only on the mess in Israel and has not committed troops to what is becoming a major offensive over there.
Maybe George W. has learned something? Maybe he's staying out of it and leaving it for Obama to address. Maybe, they are waiting to see how Israel does on their own. What ever their ideas are right now in the White House about getting involved militarily, they are doing the right thing by staying the hell out of it.
The whole region for thousands of years has been a violent region, what we do with the Iraq situation or with Israel is not going to change anything. You will get a temporary cease fire, sure, but it will surely flare up again sooner than later. So the best idea for the US is to sit on the sidelines, provide some commentary and cheer for Israel, but stay out of it. This is a war that will rage on until the other side is completely demolished. Its a religious and territorial war that will not end until the other side has nary a person standing. You can't change religious beliefs and you can't divide Gaza to make either side happy. Best solution is let them fight it out and let one side be left standing. So far, Israel seems to be doing just fine on their own so let them take care of it and lets not get involved in another costly military situation that does us no good whatsoever. After this Iraq mess, we need to be a little selfish.Sabres 4, Bruins 2
Going into this game the Bruins had won 10 in a row overall and 14 straight at home. So the Sabres were facing the hottest team in all of hockey. Coming out the Sabres now own a 3-2 record for the year against the best team in hockey to this point.
Will the real Sabres please stand up and stay with us for a while? The last two games Ryan Miller has provided some game saving saves and looked like the number one guy they need in net. Thomas Vanek has looked good, they got some help from one of the character guys too. Matt Ellis scored twice and added an assist on Paul Gaustads goal which provided the insurance in this one.
This win put the swords right back into the playoffs in 8th place overall. If not for a Carolina Hurricane win last night, it would have been 7th place. Carolina ain't that good either. They are a -14 goal differential with 105 goals for and 116 goals against on the season. Their goaltending and defense is pretty slim and their penalty killing sucks.
With only three home games in January this was an important road win. Next up the Sabres are home for two against the Senators and Rangers, on the road for three, back at home for one against Carolina on the 17th and on the road for the rest of January. Not a friendly schedule for a team looking to hang on in 7th-8th place in the playoff picture but maybe the road will do them well. That Carolina game at home could be huge.
Category: Buffalo Sabres Hockey
Sunday Retro
EVery Sunday I find a little retro tune to post and today I figure we will stick with the holiday theme of the week, New Years.
U2 New Years Day will probably always be the obvious New Years Eve hit at the clubs for years to come, instead of going with the original video though I found a live version recorded in 2001:
Category: Music | Sunday Retro
Back from the New Years/Anniversary Thing
Im back, it was a great few days and now its time to get back at the bloggage thing. We had a great time at the Casino and stay at the hotel. Our room was on the 18th floor, we could see all of Niagara Falls from our windows. The only thing we missed were the fireworks over the falls. Our windows were facing the wrong way.
Did anyone watch CBS New Years Eve? Letterman was on and there was nary a word about midnight, no camera shot of Times Square, just David Letterman talking to some chippy I never heard of.
By the time we realized that CBS was not cutting away from Letterman to do anything NYE, the ball had already dropped. We went to our suite to watch the ball on TV and missed it due to crappy coverage by CBS.
Other than that, we played a little on the Casino floor, caught a great magic show by Mike Super, and had a nice little steak and seafood buffet, that I thought was a a little over priced.
The most important part though was spending the evening with my wife for our second year together.
Here is a little taste of Mike Super, I never heard of him before the show but he was pretty good by magician standards and he is supposedly working on the largest magic trick ever, not in terms of making something big disappear but by involving a record number of people according to Guiness:
Category: Happy New Year 2009
Taxing My Mileage?
They can't be serious. The way our governments waste money and then the state of Oregon comes up with the biggest bone headed idea on the face of the planet. Taxing motorists based on miles driven.
Oregon lawmakers are worried that with less gasoline being purchased due to lower demand because of hybrid cars and increased fuel efficiency that they won't be able to raise enough money to pay for roads and infrastructure with the current gas tax system.
Tax American's based on how much we drive, based on mileage. I am as big of a green guy as they get. I get the idea. Taxing people on mileage would generate income, everyone drives. Installing GPS on vehicles to do it too.....I get it...But its the worst idea ever concieved. Thats fine though. Lets start the program with every single local, county, state and federal employee and politician first. For real. For the first five years of the program we will try it out on our politicians first and see how they like it.
Lets see how they like the American people seeing how much they drive, how much they waste and how much it would cost them first. We put the GPS on their private limos, their personal cars, their family members cars, anyone related to politicians or civil service workers on up the chain to the federal level.
After five years of them paying out of their pockets for this program, if they like it, then the rest of the country can adopt it. If they don't, we scrap the idea.
The talk is in Oregon that they could tax a premium rate for rush hour. Thats a great way to promote business and to stimulate the Oregon and for that matter the US economy. Tax us for driving to and from work everyday. What a dumb ass idea. You would get most workers waiting at work until the premium rate for the evening commute is up and probably showing up late or leaving extremely early to avoid the premium rate.
I do homecare, I travel all day long, That shoots me right in the foot. Why bother working. One proposal had a quarter cent per mile to make up for the gas tax. Bull shit. Right now I drive 50+ miles in a day. I have to. I have to or I can't do my work. Every day I would have to pay at least 12.5 cents. Thats 62.5 cents a week. Thats unecessary. That doesn't include weekend driving. In addition to that I pay a toll both ways going over Grand Island.
If they want to do that and New York follows suit, thats fine, then every single toll barrier in this state needs to be torn down. That includes Grand Island and the New York State Tolls and the Customs tolls. Tear down the tolls at the state and federal level on all major thruways in the country. Immediately repeal any federal, state and county gas tax as well.
In addition, if the states want to do this, they have to pay for the GPS that is going in my car. That is not going to be an out of pocket expenditure for any American.
A better idea than the GPS would be every year for inspection they record your mileage and tax you accordingly. And an even better idea than that, make the inspection itself free. If you're going to hit us with the mileage tax, do a little work as our political leaders and look for ways to save money on things that the gas tax goes to.
The best idea is to scrap it all together and leave things be. We can never catch a break in this country without some crappy tax. Enough. Figure out a way to live without the gas tax revenue. Let the American people enjoy better gas mileage in their cars and less cost of owning a car. Nothing can ever go without some bullshit tax in this country and if this takes effect we will have Oregon to thank for thinking it. Oregon. What the hell is there in Oregon anyway besides a shitty basketball team?
I may be an environmentalist at heart, but that doesn't mean that I don't believe in our right to drive our cars where we want to without being taxed for driving too many miles. Let us take advantage of new fuel economy standards and hybrid cars and let us have the freedom to drive them as we need to without having to worry about another tax.
Inaugural Prayer
This is something that has been begging for me to write about since the choice of Rick Warren to provide the prayer at the inauguration of Barack Obama.
To me this isn't about what this guy stands for or what he has said, most of us know hes only slightly better than Pat Robertson and the late scumbag Jerry Falwell. What it boils down to for me, is why do we need any prayer at a political event? Why do we need anyone to pray at this? I know there is always prayer at these events and maybe that is the bigger issue. It again leads to my biggest argument of all time, separation of church and state. Politics and religion have no business being on the same stage. Make all the fancy, hyped up speeches you want at this thing, Barack Obama has earned the right to have people up there praising him and has earned the spectacle that the inauguration has become over the year, but do we really need someone to lead the country in a prayer? If we do, why does it have to be an Evangelical Christian like Warren? Why can't it be a Catholic priest or a non denominational religious figure who doesn't represent any one religion and just do a blanket catch all prayer? Freedom from religion, thats one of the things this country was founded on. We, as Americans have a right to choose our religious beliefs, and we also have a right not to have someone else's beliefs jammed down our throats at a political event. Evangelicals get this podium in politics like they are the majority in terms of religions in this country. They are far from the majority when it comes to practicing faiths. Catholics are by far and away the majority in this country. Of course the best choice, would be no prayer at all because really, if you can't appeal to all, then you shouldn't allow it to speak in a political forum.
