Helaine meets Johnny Damon!

Here's my Lexis friend Helaine with Johnny Damon. She reports that he looks different in person and that after 10 seconds in his company, she thought perhaps he was a little bit intellectually challenged. But as you can see, she enjoyed it! (And don't miss the signature!)

Milwaukee waves him home...

Sveum goes to the Brewers

Who believed?

The players and manager did. The BG sportswriters did not.

http://www.boston.com/sports/baseball/redsox/extras/extra_bases/2005/10/revisiting_rock.html

The Four Seasons

Of course:

Nearly Winter, Winter, Still Winter, and Road Construction

or, has anyone seen this before?

Preseason, Season, Playoffs, and Off-season.

I didn't think that up, right?

Two worthy reads by neo-neocon

http://neo-neocon.blogspot.com/2005/10/gray-lady-sings-blues.html#comments

About depression at the NYT, but more generally about those who hope we fail in Iraq. Read the comments.

http://neo-neocon.blogspot.com/2005/10/varieties-of-pacifism-part-iib.html#comments

Longer. About Quaker pacifism. Read about the 1933 meeting at Oxford at the end of the piece. Excellent comments, including Orwell quotes. And this one:

"Pacifism is a shifty doctrine under which a man accepts the benefits of the social group without being willing to pay--and claims a halo for his dishonesty."-Robert A. Heinlein

Noah's Ark

Tis the year 2001 and Noah lives in the United States. The Lord speaks to Noah and says: "In one year I am going to make it rain and cover the whole earth with water until all is destroyed. But I want you to save the righteous people and two of every kind of living thing on the earth. Therefore, I am commanding you to build an Ark." In a flash of lightning, God delivered the specifications for an Ark. Fearful and trembling, Noah took the plans and agreed to build the Ark. "Remember," said the Lord, "you must complete the Ark and bring everything aboard in one year."

Exactly one year later, a fierce storm cloud covered the earth and all the seas of the earth went into a tumult. The Lord saw Noah sitting in his front yard weeping. "Noah." He shouted, "Where is the Ark?"

"Lord please forgive me!" cried Noah. "I did my best, but there were big problems. First, I had to get a permit for construction and your plans did not comply with the codes. I had to hire an engineering firm and redraw the plans. Then I got into a fight with OSHA over whether or not the Ark needed a fire sprinkler system and floatation devices. Then my neighbor objected, claiming I was violating zoning ordinances by building the Ark in my front yard, so I had to get a variance from the city planning commission. I had problems getting enough wood for the Ark, because there was a ban on cutting trees to protect the Spotted Owl. I finally convinced the U.S. Forest Service that I needed the wood to save the owls. However, the Fish and Wildlife Service won't let me catch any owls. So, no owls.

"The carpenters formed a union and went out on strike. I had to negotiate a settlement with the National Labor Union. Now I have 16 carpenters on the Ark, but still no owls. When I started rounding up the other animals, I got sued by an animal rights group. They objected to me only taking two of each kind aboard. Just when I got the suit dismissed, the EPA notified me that I could not complete the Ark without filing an environmental impact statement on your proposed flood. They didn't take very kindly to the idea that they had no jurisdiction over the conduct of the Creator of the universe. Then the Army Corps of Engineer demanded a map of the proposed new flood plain. I sent them a globe. Right now, I am trying to resolve a complaint filed with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission that I am practicing discrimination by not taking godless, unbelieving people aboard!

"The IRS has seized all my assets, claiming that I'm building the Ark in preparation to flee the country to avoid paying taxes. I just got a notice from the state that I owe some kind of user tax and failed to register the Ark as a recreational water craft." Finally the ACLU got the courts to issue an injunction against further construction of the Ark, saying that since God is flooding the earth, it is a religious event and therefore unconstitutional. I really don't think I can finish the Ark for another 5 or 6 years!" Noah wailed.

The sky began to clear, the sun began to shine and the seas began to calm. A rainbow arched across the sky. Noah looked up hopefully. "You mean you are not going to destroy the earth, Lord?"

"No," said the Lord sadly. "The government already has."


Murphies

From the Speech of Pericles in Defense of Athens

Our political system does not compete with institutions which are elsewhere in force. We do not copy our neighbours, but try to be an example. Our administration favors the many instead of the few: that is why it is called democracy.

The laws afford equal justice to all alike in their private disputes, but we do not ignore the claims of excellence. When a citizen distinguishes himself, then he will be called to serve the state, in preference to others, not as a matter of privilege but as a reward of merit; and poverty is no bar…

The freedom we enjoy extends also to ordinary life; we are not suspicious of one another, and do not nag our neighbour if he chooses to go his own way. But this freedom does not make us lawless. We are taught to respect the magistrates and the laws, and never to forget that we must protect the injured. And we are also taught to observe those unwritten laws whose sanction lies only in the universal feeling of what is right.

Our city is thrown open to the world; we never expel a foreigner. We are free to live exactly as we please, and yet we are always ready to face danger. We love beauty without indulging in fancies, and although we try to improve our intellect, this does not weaken our will. To admit one’s poverty is no disgrace with us; but we consider it disgraceful not to make an effort to avoid it. An Athenian citizen does not neglect public affairs when attending to his private business… We consider a man who takes no interest in the state not as harmless, but as useless; and although only a few may originate a policy, we are all able to judge it.

We do not look upon discussion as a stumbling-block in the way of political action, but as an indispensable preliminary to acting wisely. We believe that happiness is the fruit of freedom and freedom that of valor, and we do not shrink from the dangers of war.

To sum up, I claim that Athens is the School of Hellas, and that the individual Athenian grows up to develop a happy versatility, a readiness for emergencies, and self-reliance.

(More thoughts about Athens and other interesting ideas here.)

Red Sox hot stove!

http://www.boston.com/sports/baseball/redsox/extras/extra_bases/2005/10/roger_that_1.html

Schilling will be an ace next year and Pabelbon will be #2. Wakefield will be a great #5 starter and have another decent Wakefield year, leaving two spots on the rotation open for either Clement, Wells, another minor leaguer, (I like Dinardo) or an acquisition. Also, I found out from Mr. Seddon that there's a good possibility that the Marlins will be looking to trade MIGUEL CABRERA! If we lost Damon and got the 23 year old Cabrera, this team would be unstoppable. Another .300 hitter with great power, and speed, and a pretty good outfielder I think. Oh and I'll say it again, he's 23. Also, have you guys heard about one of our 2005 draft picks Jacoby Ellsbury? He's an outfielder who took I think Oregon to the college world series and then he had a great year in one of the lower leagues in our farm system. From what I've read I think he might be for real. But I'm drooling at the idea of getting Cabrera. Also his name is Cabrera, which from my experience in the last couple years is a good thing.

My New Favorite Yodeler

www.sourdoughslim.com

Click on videos.

Scroll down and Click on Movie 1 or Movie 2.

In movie 1 notice the legs when he really gets going.

Give us an S! Give us an E! What Does That Spell? S-E!

S-E is still undefeated! The Cooperstown game ended at 5-2 (I think) after a rainy, muddy, cold, dark Senior Game. And Your Brother Luke had a goal AND an assist -- pretty cool for his senior game.

The Cooperstown coach is a lousy sport who complained all through the game, got himself carded, didn't congratulate his own players when they came off the field, and finally pulled his team off the field early and forfeited, only a few minutes before the game would have ended anyway. This was ostensibly because he didn't like the ref's calls, but in fact, the calls were well-balanced between the two teams and seemed quite fair. Both teams got physical; both teams got calls; players on both teams got cards. It was obvious that what the C-Town coach really didn't like is that his team was losing badly. They rallied for a little while in the second half, but other than that, S-E dominated throughout. It was too bad to end the game with the coach's tantrum, because it was really a terrific game. It is a lot of fun to watch these guys play!

Later on I will scan in Luke's picture and congratulatory paragraph from the program, if I can make the scanner do it.