2.16.2010

My Wife On Sports

My lovely bride was flicking through the channels tonight while the Olympics were in commercial or something. She stopped at WGN out of Chicago which was showing the NBA game between the hometown Bulls and the New York Knicks.

About 30 seconds into it she said, "Why don't I take this seriously? Major League Baseball I do and pro football I do. But not pro basketball."

Her comment is almost a straight line, but it's all too true. I'm a sports fan and I don't take the NBA all that seriously. I think it's just a notch above pro wrestling.

2.15.2010

Cardinals Favored In NL Central

An article on the Cardinals website suggests that St. Louis should be considered the favorite in the National League Central this year. This would be the first time in two or three years that the Redbirds would be so highly thought of.

The addition of Brad Penny to the rotation and having Matt Holliday for a full season will certainly bolster the club's chances. I personally think they should be the favorite but, and I think it's significant, the Cubs are still strong and may have added to their team by subtracting Milton Bradley.

If Chicago plays to it's potential and doesn't have to deal with drama in the clubhouse, they may make more of a race of this year even in the face of St. Louis' upgrades.

You have been warned.

Bye Bayh, But Why?

Senator Evan Bayh of Indiana announced today that he will not seek re-election this fall. Bayh is a Democrat who has been thought to harbor presidential aspirations. Along those lines, there is some speculation that a weakened President Obama may invite primary challengers in 2012 and that Bayh is positioning himself for a run.

More likely is that 2010, if things continue as they have for the past 12 months, is shaping up to be unfavorable for Democrats in November and that is why the senator, along with several others, is opting out this year.

Another thought has crossed my mind and I wonder if it is a consideration. There seems to be, from what I've read, a growing anti-incumbent sentiment during this election cycle. Could Democrat retirements be an effort to save the seat for the party by removing the incumbent?

2.13.2010

Cool Image Of The Moment

God's Wrath Spent

God put (Christ) forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. The was to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. - Romans 3:23, ESV

"(Propitiation) refers to the removal of God's wrath by providing a substitute. The substitute is provided by God himself. The substitute, Jesus Christ, does not just cancel the wrath; he absorbs it and diverts it from us to himself. God's wrath is just, and it was spent, not withdrawn." - John Piper, Fifty Reasons Why Jesus Came To Die

Thankfully.

2.12.2010

Time Travel

Jim Varney died.

This isn't news, at least not to most of you, but I didn't know it when I read it today. Or, if I did know it once, I had forgotten. I wasn't a big fan, but there is one scene in "Ernest Saves Christmas" that cracks me up. Varney, as Ernest, is a cab driver and he stops on an interstate highway to scoop up a Christmas tree that had fallen on the road. While cars and trucks are crashing all about him, he observes to his fare, "They really stack up at this exit!", oblivious to the fact that it was his actions that caused the mess.

I was reminded of Varney when I read Lileks today who commented on the "Toy Story 3" trailer that was just released. Lileks noted that someone else will voice the dog, obviously. But here's what really made me spin my wheels: Varney died in 2000. That means both of the previous Toy Story movies were out before then. That struck me as a very long time ago. As I think about it, I realize that it was in the 90's when they came out, but it doesn't seem possible somehow. Where has the time gone?

"The 70's Are Here!" was some sort of marketing campaign for somebody. I forget who. But I remember the slogan and being impressed in some way that something had changed because it was the 70's. There was anticipation of some hip, modern and cool future. A time portal that now is 40 years in the past. This slapped me in the head as I looked at some files at work yesterday.

Where has the time gone?

I saw on ESPN.com that the Mike Tyson-Buster Douglas fight was 20 years ago. That was probably the last boxing match I was ever interested in. Tyson still wore the mantle of invincibility and the prospect of Douglas winning was remote, as I recall. But win he did and it seems to me, though I confess I don't really follow the sport, Tyson was never the same after. It seemed to be a watershed that marked the beginning of Tyson's decline. Twenty years ago.

Where has the time gone?

There are, in Springfield anyway, drivers for whom time has no meaning. And they are in the left lane. And they are headed where I am. Slowly.

This is where the time has gone.

2.11.2010

Cool Image

I have lately published cool images I find in the column on the right and that had, until now, served me fairly well. Lately, though, I'm having trouble managing them on this new computer we have. I have no idea why. So, I decided to run Cool Images as new posts. I hope you don't mind.

And now, Today's Cool Image:


2.09.2010

Unnecessary Duplication of Work

Big headline on Drudge Report:

White House: Obama Critics Helping Al Qaeda

In other words, you Obama Critics, stop helping Al Qaeda. Eric Holder's already doing that.

I Guess I Missed This

So when exactly did Ringo become the leader of the Iranian Republic?

2.08.2010

unManning or Manning?

I sort of covered myself with my Super Bowl pick by saying the Colts would win . . . unless the Saints did. Boy, was that spot on. I'm like The Amazing Kreskin.

Honestly, though, right before I said that, I said that I didn't think the Saints could stop Indy QB Peyton Manning and, obviously, they did. I think that was the big story from the ballgame, the New Orleans defense. Manning was very unManning-like, unless you think that all the accolades that had been heaped on him of late were misplaced and that he really is like the guy who used to lose to Tom Brady every year. In that case, he was Manning-like and his only championship still is against a Chicago Bears team quarterbacked by whats-his-name.

Today was another day in the string of Valentine goodies my wife is treating me to each day. She is an extra special lady, in case you are curious. There have been chocolates and ball cards and a CD. And socks. I needed socks. Anyway, she's celebrating 14 days of Valentine's by giving a gift each of the days leading to the 14th. She seems to be enjoying herself and I know I am! "remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive." Acts 20:35

It was also hamburger night. After work I went to the fitness center at the hospital and then went home. After a shower, I made hamburgers. This is probably no big deal to you, but I really like hamburgers and would just as soon have a hamburger as most anything you could name. Go ahead and try it. Name something and I will bet I like a hamburger better. This may only be interesting to me.

After dinner, '24'. After several episodes of laying groundwork and plodding along in workman like fashion, Jack and Renee got busy. My bride and I were commenting about this very thing tonight and I said, "It's about time for it to get going. They are still climbing (like a roller coaster)." About 60 seconds later there was a flurry of stabbing and shooting. The natural order of things was restored.

2.06.2010

The Roman Numeral Game: Colts-Saints

The championship of the National Football League will be determined Sunday in a one-game playoff. Some people insist on calling this game the Super Bowl. They also number the Super Bowl games and I think they do this to keep track of them. For example, if I asked you who won Super Bowl XXII, you would immediately know the answer because they numbered it. In Roman numerals. What a great system. For the Romans.

This year's Super Bowl, the XLIVth one, pits the Indianapolis Colts against the New Orleans Saints. This is what we know for sure. We also know that the game will be made up of Running Plays. Or Passing Plays. And that is football. I don't want to sound like I don't appreciate football, what with it's wide variety of action. You know, a run OR a pass. The possibilities are two!

I pick the Colts. There will be many whose hearts will be with the Saints because they have been horrible for about 92 percent of the years of their existence and because Nawlins was about scrubbed off the face of the earth a few years ago when Nazi Bush built a huge hurricane in the shop at Camp David and launched it at New Orleans using the space shuttle. This is why we are in debt.

But, as compelling as that story may be, I don't think the Saints can stop Indy quarterback Peyton Manning. He is like a Terminator/RoboCop that fires footballs. He has a computer for a brain. He knows what you are doing right now. And he will not let you stop him from throwing footballs to other Horseshoe-Helmeted Athletes. He will win.

Unless the Saints do.