Catching Up With the News

I have been out of print for a bit. About a ten day span of some serious symptoms of my affliction, that is my arms and legs went on strike. Then I had a cold that sat me down for a couple of days, my wife's Dad was in the hospital and then just when I was starting to feel better my wife reminded me my colonoscopy was today.

So yesterday was spent prepping, which means not eating all day and then " well you know " all night. Still when it was over it was good to have done and to receive a clean bill of health. At least for that part of me. It's great to be told your colon is the healthiest part of you. Seriously though, if you are at the age of have a family history get it done. It is not that bad, I promise you. The worst part for me was not eating.

So in this time frame, because the world does not stop spinning, there has been lots going on in the world.

Tiger Woods, he of the refined temperament and new attitude, showed that he is just not that person who can play golf like a gentleman. I do not think it is a big deal in the big scheme of things but maybe he should stop telling us he has turned over a new leaf. Look people love John Daly, he gets married and divorced once a year, drinks and eats too much and certainly has a colorful history on the course. For Tiger it is not so much what he does, it is how he treats people. He is just not very nice to officials, fans, people who serve him and who are, as some would say, less than him. Some people do not suffer fools. Tiger does not suffer anyone. So if Tiger wants to throw his clubs and be a jerk, maybe some self effacing comments after, an apology or a joke would make it go down smoother. Look we cannot all be Phil Mickelson. He of the chance to win, the triple bogey on Sunday, the top 10 finish but not the attainable victory. For some collecting a six figure paycheck in a week, making your living playing golf, having a former cheerleader for a wife, who has thankfully, apparently beaten cancer, and has some beautiful children who he loves, for some that is not enough. Tiger is what Tiger is but as I tell my son for Gods sake just be nice. It is easy, it does not hurt and it does not cost a thing.

Rick Santorum today has suspended his campaign for the Presidency. I have written often about Santorum and my admiration for his drive and commitment to what he believes whichever way the wind blows. I still feel that way. His little girl is likely terminal and his dedication to her is heartfelt, genuine and hard to see knowing the outcome which is foretold. Now we are left with Mitt Romney and in many ways this is a good thing.

What Romney believes in is a far cry from what The President does. If both candidates tout their positions, and do not misrepresent the others we can have a clear referendum on what we want for this country. This is a good thing. Of course we know the campaign will degenerate on both sides to mud slinging, misrepresentations, and fear politics.

In the end for me it's easy. Romney when asked his opinion of a bill offered by the President to Congress that would have cut ten dollars out of the federal budget for every dollar in revenue that Republicans would concede to raise said he would not consent to that. Romney supports the Romney plan, which as I have stated is a brave statement of belief by Ryan, however misguided it is. This plan amounts to a tax increase on the poor and middle class and amounts to a large tax break for the wealthiest of Americans. It is not class warfare, it is the truth and if there is any warfare it is from the top down. Romney was a vulture capitalist.

There is a clear divide in this country. If it were me I think each candidate should fill out a questionnaire of fifty questions on his positions. No equivocating just yes or no and here is why. And each voter should get one when he goes in the booth and we should vote. Isn't that really what matters. I will go back to Utopia now.

Paul LePage must have decided that he was not in the news enough lately. First he decided to go after the Town of Millinocket and withhold emergency funds from them due ot a problem with the landfill that the state took over. It would seem to me that there is a piece of paper or there is not. LePage claims a handshake agreement but that, as he knows, will not stand up in court. So one should ask themselves what is he trying to prove, what constituency is he trying to serve. One wonders.

LePage had a veto overridden when he needlessly picked a fight over the funding of school programs for disabled students. I do not pretend to know what the whole story was here. Still if his veto is overridden by a Republican majority House and Senate LePage should fear they may grow more comfortable contradicting him.

Then last week LePage in some debate goes after State Senator Justin Alfond calling him a spoiled brat and claiming it was good his Granddad, Harold Alfond, was not around to see this. I will say it again, what is wrong with this guy. There are those that are going to applaud his each and every move but it is never going to be above the 39 percent that got him elected last time. Depending on a three way split in the electorate to getting reelected is a very tricky proposition.

Speaking of moronic Governors we have our friend Scott Walker in Wisconsin. Now this is where some of my Conservative freinds and I part ways, not a rhetorical comment a truth. Union rights is where I am deemed least sensible by some of my friends that I agree to disagree with. Still a recall election happens in June. It should be pointed out that the judiciary has already claimed that parts of his bill that caused all this trouble do not hold up to scrutiny. My guess is that Walker is going to win this race. He is going to have a great deal of money. And the truth is the National Democratic party is scared of getting involved heavily and then losing. If this had been on the ballot in November it would have been a whole different story. Still one can hope.


The Supreme Court has reached its ruling on health care and we will know the answer in June. It amuses me to see the right embracing a potential repeal by unelected Justices while should the Wisconsin law that Scott Walker passed be thrown out it will be a disgrace that unelected judges thwart the will of the people.

This is just not Republicans. Democrats do the same thing. We are all hypocrites and change our attitudes depending on how it effects us.


My son now has a job. This was big news. Working at the grocery store, bagging and carting he comes home after five hours he says wow he is tired. Welcome to the world son. Still I am proud of him. He has so much on his plate these days he cannot keep up. I wish I could help him learn to organize but as we all know, it is a rare sixteen year old who will listen to Dad tell him how to prioritize his tasks.

My youngest, my daughter turns 13 this weekend. I am officially against this. When she needs us as little as the boys do now we will officially be on our way to being obsolete. I have many interests, my wife does too. We enjoy each others company. Still if she stops kissing me good night and calling me Daddy a little piece of my existence one of the best parts will cease to be.

Turns out that the fellow who wrote the one many play about working conditions in factories in China that make Apple products did not source all his facts and some of them may have been assumed more than truthful. That is good to hear, Apple's sales were falling through the floor with all those concerned Americans about the working conditions of the Chinese. Not.

Baseball has started. I love baseball. It contributes to the rhythm of my day. Baseball is Summer, it is our youth, it is hot nights and listening to a game on the radio when the Sox play on the West Coast. Now, at my age, it is the sadness of knowing that my oldest is not playing baseball this year. The first time in 12 years he is not on a team. I understand, His arm never recovered from the last time his elbow was sore. When the Doctor mentions that Tommy John might be necessary at some time in the near future to continue your 14 year old's pitching career you know that said career is about over. Still a house with no baseball players is a gloomier place in the spring. He is on the tennis team. One of our good friends saw me picking him up the other night as he picked his son up from baseball. He asked him why his bat had strings on it. He is having fun though, he has accepted that it is over for him in baseball so I guess I have too as well.

I play fantasy baseball with my friends. This is a great way to stay involved. We have folks from here to Arizona in our league and we have a great time.

Ozzie Guillen gets suspended in his first week as the Miami manger for being....well Ozzie Guillen. I think that this is another example of the stupidity of people. Look Ozzie said something outrageous. Who exactly did you think you were hiring.