1994 - Strike shortened season in which Homeruns were immense at the all star break. Not a good year for ball.
1995 - Good year, expanded the playoffs, you telling me Albert Belle (2nd in MVP voting for the World Series bound Indians) didn't jack himself up on roids? Sure that's speculation, but we know he corked his bat. That's a fact, ask Jason Grimsley
1996 - Yankees beat the Braves. We know Leyritz and Pettite (the ace) were on steroids.
1997 - Marlins defeat the Indians in the year of the single greatest example of purchasing a team in order to win, in history. We know Sheffield, arguably the team's best slugger, was roided up.
1998 - Yankees dominate baseball with 114 wins, defeat the Padres in the World Series. However, the record books were shattered by McGwire and Sosa, both were so filled up on Steroids and Sosa, at least, was a bat corker. If the phrase, "slippery slope" can be show in real life, this is the year where the whole league competely slipped, and the slope basically is at 90 degrees.
1999 - Yanks win again, Clemens and Pettite are on the roster for the #1 team. McGwire continues his cheating ways by hitting 65 and continuing to rewrite the record books.
2000 - Yanks win, same cheaters on their roster. Sosa leads the majors in HR's, while juiced.
2001 - Barry Bonds hits 73, completely and utterly juiced out of his brain.
2002 - ARod sets the stage this time in Texas, belting 57 to Sosa's 50. Both utterly tanked out on Steroids. Bonds, however, makes the World Series and is walked roughly 875 times this season because nobody can pitch to him because he's a fake baseball player.
2003 - ARod continues to lead the majors in homeruns, shall I add an asterisk? Lowell hit 32 HR's to lead the Marlins to a victory in the World Series. No proof here, but 32 HR's feels like a lot to me.
2004 - The Red Sox era begins with Manny and Ortiz, arguably one of the best hitting duos in the last 50 years, both on steroids. The single greatest playoff comeback, orchestrated primarily by Papi, is a sham and a fraud. Manny also leads the AL in Homers, and Adrian Beltre manages to have, by far, his greatest season ever hitting 47 homers. I am sure he just hit weight room.
2005 - Arod leads the AL in homers yet again, surprise (x2). I look at this White Sox roster and I start to think, this may have actually been legit. Baseball 1, Nick 47.
By 2006, things started to normalize a bit with testing, policies, checking etc...the great hopes that are left for baseball since 1994 are as follows:
Ken Griffey
Frank Thomas
Cal Ripken
Al Pujols
Greg Maddux
Pedro Martinez
Ryan Howard
Prince Fielder
Chipper Jones
In my opinion, those are the only people baseball has left to hang their hats on. The entire era, 1993 to 2006 or so, should be completely stricken from all record books. Sorry guys.
Friday, July 31, 2009
Thursday, July 30, 2009
NYTimes Business Day; Ruth Madoff, USPS, Energy
I changed things up a bit, and I'm actually more compelled to write about the articles in the Business Day section of the NYTimes, which today for some reason really jumped out at me, big time.
I also decided I need to start making these active links so you can be a part of the process as much as I am. Then again, I am unemployed and I am thinking "The Process" is replacing what used to be my worklife...
Trustee Sues Ruth Madoff for Nearly $45 Million
I'm really torn with this story. A few months back, I ranted about those who were screwed over by Madoff, to a certain extent, need to just grin and bear it. The money was fake, so expecting it to be paid back in part or in full is sorta just passing the problem on to someone else, but certainly not on to Madoff.
Ruth Madoff is disgusting. But more than that, the Gov't allowed her to keep 2.5 million dollars. 2.5 Million. Can anyone...Will someone...What the....Who the...Why?! Madoff said earlier this week from Prison he cannot remember the last time he made a viable transaction on the market...is there any reason to think 2.5 million of her money is somehow legit?
But the article really is about the lawsuit against Ruth for $45 million. The case can easily be made that she hid millions of dollars somewhere during the apprehension/conviction of Madoff...she has more than 2.5 in her possession. But the fact remains that if this trustee gets 45 million, where will that $$ come from? They are doing their best to find her $$'s, but the fact that, on the up-and-up, she was given 2.5 Million kills me. It kills me.
Increasing Postal Deficits Intensify Talks on Solution
For years, I have marveled at the fact that I could stick a piece of paper in a box, and 1, 2 or 3 days later it ends up somewhere else in this country. There is a magic to the Postal Service, and now I am realizing this magic comes at an extreme, over-the-top price.
Before I get into the specifics, there are a lot of things out there we are capable of doing, scientifically. We have the ability to move at the speed of sound, and we have the technological ability to do it safely. However, there are costs associated with that, and that is factored in when talking about using the sound barrier as an accepted speed in Commercial travel.
The Postal Service, for one reason or another, doesn't seem to have to measure themselves against actual standards of cost...Brace yourself for this, but the USPS is going to operate at a loss of somewhere around $7 billion dollars. $7 billion. This quarter, the loss will be over $2 billion.
I have a new enemy that I'll forget about in 2 days, and her name is Representative Jo Ann Emerson. One of the many possible ways to cut the deficit in the USPS budget is to slash 1 day from the mail carrier's duties, I think they said Tuesday, which is a low profit day for some reason. So they cut out Tuesday, and the $9B deficit goes down to about $7B, which is obviously still insane.
Rep. Emerson, however, disagrees. To be partisan for a minute, I'm hearing this type of argument from the GOP on many issues, mostly Health Care and basically anything else the Dems. suggest or introduce. In regards to cutting back a day, "I realize the Post-Master General thinks that this will save money, but there are other ways that can cost-cut," Emerson explains. So, at this point, I'm eager to hear what exactly her solution is, what are the other ways? And what could they possibly be that would justify them being in-place of, rather than, in addition to, the cutting back of 1 delivery day.
She continues, "My constituents feel very strongly about having their postal service continue as it always has." Blink, choke, gasp, vommit, cry. You know what else the fine people of Missouri want? They want jobs back. They want their houses to be worth what they were once worth. They want to be rid of reverse mortgages, rid of soldiers dying for no reason and to be able to understand, even a tiny bit, why their Health Care costs too much.
They want it to continue as it always has? They want it to continue at a $7B deficit? Maybe they don't, really. Maybe, when explained to them, they may say, "Sure, I like 6 days a week of mail so I can bet my coupons to Bed, Bath & Beyond and my Pottery Barn Kids magazines...but if it's going the taxpayer that much to run it, well, I can skip a day or two."
Is it possible, Rep. Emerson, that you provide a real solution other than, "because I wannannnannannaaaaaa" in regards to this? I don't think so. Your whole party is playing this game lately, and it's tiresome.
Efficiency Drive Could Cut Energy Use by 23% by 2020, Study Finds
With all this talk about Health Care, the War, the USPS, it is downright refreshing to hear someone propose something that, if done correctly, can legitimately save $$, pretty much with no argument. Not only that, it can provide a long term solution to our Nation's Largest Financial and Security problem...energy.
Essentially, an independent firm said that common Household and Business fixes, that would cost $520B now to fix, would save us $1.2T by 2020. Doesn't that seem like a good deal? In the world of huge financial bailouts to save banks that we have wrapped ourselves up in so heavily and dangerously, hasn't the precedent been set that, if we need to, we can find the dough?
Obama, FIND THE DOUGH!!! This is important crap, just do it.
The article goes on to describe the barriers that exist, and I'm aware of them, but Lawmakers seem to think nowadays that we are all so God Damned inert, and it kills me. I watch Mad Men, do you know how much red meat, alcohol and cigarettes we used to consume on a daily basis? We change, we evolve...if the figures have to be shifted where compliance starts now, and then we have full compliance in 2020, then aren't we better off in 2030 than if we don't do anything at all now?
As I write this, there are no less than 8 lights on in my house. What a joke I am.
I also decided I need to start making these active links so you can be a part of the process as much as I am. Then again, I am unemployed and I am thinking "The Process" is replacing what used to be my worklife...
Trustee Sues Ruth Madoff for Nearly $45 Million
I'm really torn with this story. A few months back, I ranted about those who were screwed over by Madoff, to a certain extent, need to just grin and bear it. The money was fake, so expecting it to be paid back in part or in full is sorta just passing the problem on to someone else, but certainly not on to Madoff.
Ruth Madoff is disgusting. But more than that, the Gov't allowed her to keep 2.5 million dollars. 2.5 Million. Can anyone...Will someone...What the....Who the...Why?! Madoff said earlier this week from Prison he cannot remember the last time he made a viable transaction on the market...is there any reason to think 2.5 million of her money is somehow legit?
But the article really is about the lawsuit against Ruth for $45 million. The case can easily be made that she hid millions of dollars somewhere during the apprehension/conviction of Madoff...she has more than 2.5 in her possession. But the fact remains that if this trustee gets 45 million, where will that $$ come from? They are doing their best to find her $$'s, but the fact that, on the up-and-up, she was given 2.5 Million kills me. It kills me.
Increasing Postal Deficits Intensify Talks on Solution
For years, I have marveled at the fact that I could stick a piece of paper in a box, and 1, 2 or 3 days later it ends up somewhere else in this country. There is a magic to the Postal Service, and now I am realizing this magic comes at an extreme, over-the-top price.
Before I get into the specifics, there are a lot of things out there we are capable of doing, scientifically. We have the ability to move at the speed of sound, and we have the technological ability to do it safely. However, there are costs associated with that, and that is factored in when talking about using the sound barrier as an accepted speed in Commercial travel.
The Postal Service, for one reason or another, doesn't seem to have to measure themselves against actual standards of cost...Brace yourself for this, but the USPS is going to operate at a loss of somewhere around $7 billion dollars. $7 billion. This quarter, the loss will be over $2 billion.
I have a new enemy that I'll forget about in 2 days, and her name is Representative Jo Ann Emerson. One of the many possible ways to cut the deficit in the USPS budget is to slash 1 day from the mail carrier's duties, I think they said Tuesday, which is a low profit day for some reason. So they cut out Tuesday, and the $9B deficit goes down to about $7B, which is obviously still insane.
Rep. Emerson, however, disagrees. To be partisan for a minute, I'm hearing this type of argument from the GOP on many issues, mostly Health Care and basically anything else the Dems. suggest or introduce. In regards to cutting back a day, "I realize the Post-Master General thinks that this will save money, but there are other ways that can cost-cut," Emerson explains. So, at this point, I'm eager to hear what exactly her solution is, what are the other ways? And what could they possibly be that would justify them being in-place of, rather than, in addition to, the cutting back of 1 delivery day.
She continues, "My constituents feel very strongly about having their postal service continue as it always has." Blink, choke, gasp, vommit, cry. You know what else the fine people of Missouri want? They want jobs back. They want their houses to be worth what they were once worth. They want to be rid of reverse mortgages, rid of soldiers dying for no reason and to be able to understand, even a tiny bit, why their Health Care costs too much.
They want it to continue as it always has? They want it to continue at a $7B deficit? Maybe they don't, really. Maybe, when explained to them, they may say, "Sure, I like 6 days a week of mail so I can bet my coupons to Bed, Bath & Beyond and my Pottery Barn Kids magazines...but if it's going the taxpayer that much to run it, well, I can skip a day or two."
Is it possible, Rep. Emerson, that you provide a real solution other than, "because I wannannnannannaaaaaa" in regards to this? I don't think so. Your whole party is playing this game lately, and it's tiresome.
Efficiency Drive Could Cut Energy Use by 23% by 2020, Study Finds
With all this talk about Health Care, the War, the USPS, it is downright refreshing to hear someone propose something that, if done correctly, can legitimately save $$, pretty much with no argument. Not only that, it can provide a long term solution to our Nation's Largest Financial and Security problem...energy.
Essentially, an independent firm said that common Household and Business fixes, that would cost $520B now to fix, would save us $1.2T by 2020. Doesn't that seem like a good deal? In the world of huge financial bailouts to save banks that we have wrapped ourselves up in so heavily and dangerously, hasn't the precedent been set that, if we need to, we can find the dough?
Obama, FIND THE DOUGH!!! This is important crap, just do it.
The article goes on to describe the barriers that exist, and I'm aware of them, but Lawmakers seem to think nowadays that we are all so God Damned inert, and it kills me. I watch Mad Men, do you know how much red meat, alcohol and cigarettes we used to consume on a daily basis? We change, we evolve...if the figures have to be shifted where compliance starts now, and then we have full compliance in 2020, then aren't we better off in 2030 than if we don't do anything at all now?
As I write this, there are no less than 8 lights on in my house. What a joke I am.
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Tennessee, Health Care Cont'd, Text'N'Drive, Obesity
In Tennessee Corner, Stimulus Meets New Deal
This is honestly a feel good story about a small town in Tenn. that has developed its own type of no-argument-here social welfare, in which those who were laid off after a plant closing were able to get state jobs to help beautify and keep the county running.
There is a good anecdote from the mayor that talks about how the county can offer one thing to businesses, and that's a group of core hard workers. I think that one thing the Palin's of this country have robbed us of is the appreciation for the Small Town USA.
Palin has made it such an "Us vs. Them" type of thing with city v. small town, rural v. urban, etc..that sometimes I think we may undervalue the real hard work that goes on in these towns, and when plants in rural Tenn. up and move to Mexico, the hundreds of people may actually be kickass workers...Find this article, it gives you some hope in all this terror.
Health Policy is Carved Out at a Table For Six
It struck me just now reading this article how refreshing it is to see a group, albeit a small one, actually trying to figure out some type of real legislation, and that this is actually an honest-to-goodness give and take. It's an exchange of ideas, although I am not sure how much more the Dems have to give.
Given I talk about Health Care every day, I just also want to note that the fact that both sides of the aisle agree that denying people coverage based on Pre-Existing conditions, not only is that humane, well, it's sorta great that both sides have agreed on it. And, as much as i think Mike Moore's documentaries are jokes nowadays, the fact that this was such an issue with him in Sicko, and it seems like it'll actually get solved in the Bill, well, that says something for the power of the Filmmaker...right? On that note, I also think that Erroll Morris' fingerprints are all over the treatment of War photos by Obama and the Global Community - check out Standard Operating Procedure when you get a chance.
In Study, Texting Lifts Crash Risk By Large Margin
Simply put, truckers are 32 times more likely to crash if they are texting, and college aged drivers are 8 times more likely.
Holy crap, I admit I have texted while driving. I've sent emails while driving, I've called while driving...I've done a lot of phone related activities while driving, and this kind of article scares the crap out of me. I can't believe I do this at all, what is my problem?
Think about those numbers...8 and 32 times more likely. And all of you out there, don't
think for a second that you, at 30+ years old, are anywhere near the multitasking ability of a 22-year old college kid who has been texting for 6 years now...they are magicians with those phones, we look like cavemen on those phonts.
You heard it here now, I'm done texting/reading emails while driving. Maps, however, I'm going to continue to look at maps...
Obesity (Not On Cover)
Those who are obese spend 42% more on health care than those who aren't. Not much to say here, other than that is a lot of money. Should we have health care cost you per lb? Interesting thought...slippery slope.
This is honestly a feel good story about a small town in Tenn. that has developed its own type of no-argument-here social welfare, in which those who were laid off after a plant closing were able to get state jobs to help beautify and keep the county running.
There is a good anecdote from the mayor that talks about how the county can offer one thing to businesses, and that's a group of core hard workers. I think that one thing the Palin's of this country have robbed us of is the appreciation for the Small Town USA.
Palin has made it such an "Us vs. Them" type of thing with city v. small town, rural v. urban, etc..that sometimes I think we may undervalue the real hard work that goes on in these towns, and when plants in rural Tenn. up and move to Mexico, the hundreds of people may actually be kickass workers...Find this article, it gives you some hope in all this terror.
Health Policy is Carved Out at a Table For Six
It struck me just now reading this article how refreshing it is to see a group, albeit a small one, actually trying to figure out some type of real legislation, and that this is actually an honest-to-goodness give and take. It's an exchange of ideas, although I am not sure how much more the Dems have to give.
Given I talk about Health Care every day, I just also want to note that the fact that both sides of the aisle agree that denying people coverage based on Pre-Existing conditions, not only is that humane, well, it's sorta great that both sides have agreed on it. And, as much as i think Mike Moore's documentaries are jokes nowadays, the fact that this was such an issue with him in Sicko, and it seems like it'll actually get solved in the Bill, well, that says something for the power of the Filmmaker...right? On that note, I also think that Erroll Morris' fingerprints are all over the treatment of War photos by Obama and the Global Community - check out Standard Operating Procedure when you get a chance.
In Study, Texting Lifts Crash Risk By Large Margin
Simply put, truckers are 32 times more likely to crash if they are texting, and college aged drivers are 8 times more likely.
Holy crap, I admit I have texted while driving. I've sent emails while driving, I've called while driving...I've done a lot of phone related activities while driving, and this kind of article scares the crap out of me. I can't believe I do this at all, what is my problem?
Think about those numbers...8 and 32 times more likely. And all of you out there, don't
think for a second that you, at 30+ years old, are anywhere near the multitasking ability of a 22-year old college kid who has been texting for 6 years now...they are magicians with those phones, we look like cavemen on those phonts.
You heard it here now, I'm done texting/reading emails while driving. Maps, however, I'm going to continue to look at maps...
Obesity (Not On Cover)
Those who are obese spend 42% more on health care than those who aren't. Not much to say here, other than that is a lot of money. Should we have health care cost you per lb? Interesting thought...slippery slope.
Monday, July 27, 2009
Players in Health Care, China=Scary, Bernanke
Subsides' Reach is Critical Issue For Health Plan; Burden of Premiums
There seem to be 4 groups of people on the Health Care issue.
1. Obama and his team...and by team, I mean George Stephonopolous and his Twitter account. Also, Speaker Pelosi, etc...
2. Blue Dogs, the Conservative Dems who have somehow found a name for themselves in this whole mess.
3. Republicans, all of them, except...
4. Olympia Snowe (R), Maine, who is actually doing her best to get a bipartisan bill passed.
Problem is, I think only the Captain of team 1 (obama) and the Captain of team 4 (snowe) are the ones willing to play ball. Does Pelosi know how reckless it is in this country to say shit like, "When I take this bill to the floor, it will win"?? Reminds me of this...listen closely to #8 QB Matt (Pelosi) Hasselbeck...and notice the result, where Al (Blue Dogs and Republicans) Harris take it back the other way for 6...
The Blue Dogs are also pissing me off, but that's for another day. But we are complaining that families may have to pay 10% of their income to subsidize Health Care...but you know what? To me, that doesn't seem so bad. I have been in and out of eye doctors for the last 15 years...my dad has had cancer...my sister has had illnesses and my mom and grandmom, etc... You add up all that treatment and what do you get? A lot more than 10% of our incomes, I'd believe...Pay the 10%, isn't it worth it to be insured? Am I crazy for thinking that?
Files Vanished, Young Chinese Lose the Future
Jeezus Crap. Basically, if you live in China, you have a file that has everything in it. Your records, tests, evaluations, etc...it proves you are able to do a job, move to a certain grade, graduate, etc...Well, a certain # of files were lost, and now these kids have nothing to show for anything, they have to start over. The article is more compelling, but it leads me to China in general.
I am really starting to think the Opening Ceremonies in Beijing were more creepy than anything else, based on how they run people's lives over there. We complain about 10% of our $$ going to Health Care, what about them? They have 100% of their lives given to the state, and the article implies people who had bad records or files were able to buy the good ones off these kids, and make them their own. That's some Orwellian crap, it's almost too horrifying to be true.
It's so amazing to read how the Gov't over the past few weeks with this, the Rio Tinto mining scandal, and the Han/Uighur clashes is completely confident in it's backtracking, lying, fabricating, and justification of really disgusting ends...But man, they sure can host the hell out of a Decathlon!!!!
Forget Aloof, Bernanke Goes Barnstorming
Ben Bernanke, the Fed Chairman, is going to be taken to task by Ron Paul. Ron Paul was the single most entertaining and interesting person in the 2008 election, more than Obama, Palin or Clinton. I wouldn't vote for him, but he actually gets stuff done and seems to be willing to stick his neck to protect people. He is going to get his fellow lawmakers to put together a Bill that basically oversees and checks everything the Fed does, and Ron Paul seems like the kind of guy who will go through each page of each file.
This is crazy how turned on it's head it has all become...If Bernanke and this group of Fed experts are Bush appointees, Conservative fiscally and otherwise, what kind of Beastly Monster will the Dems appoint in his place? I think Ron Paul's oversight legislation needs to be passed immediately, just to protect us from what may come in the future Head of the Fed seat...
There seem to be 4 groups of people on the Health Care issue.
1. Obama and his team...and by team, I mean George Stephonopolous and his Twitter account. Also, Speaker Pelosi, etc...
2. Blue Dogs, the Conservative Dems who have somehow found a name for themselves in this whole mess.
3. Republicans, all of them, except...
4. Olympia Snowe (R), Maine, who is actually doing her best to get a bipartisan bill passed.
Problem is, I think only the Captain of team 1 (obama) and the Captain of team 4 (snowe) are the ones willing to play ball. Does Pelosi know how reckless it is in this country to say shit like, "When I take this bill to the floor, it will win"?? Reminds me of this...listen closely to #8 QB Matt (Pelosi) Hasselbeck...and notice the result, where Al (Blue Dogs and Republicans) Harris take it back the other way for 6...
The Blue Dogs are also pissing me off, but that's for another day. But we are complaining that families may have to pay 10% of their income to subsidize Health Care...but you know what? To me, that doesn't seem so bad. I have been in and out of eye doctors for the last 15 years...my dad has had cancer...my sister has had illnesses and my mom and grandmom, etc... You add up all that treatment and what do you get? A lot more than 10% of our incomes, I'd believe...Pay the 10%, isn't it worth it to be insured? Am I crazy for thinking that?
Files Vanished, Young Chinese Lose the Future
Jeezus Crap. Basically, if you live in China, you have a file that has everything in it. Your records, tests, evaluations, etc...it proves you are able to do a job, move to a certain grade, graduate, etc...Well, a certain # of files were lost, and now these kids have nothing to show for anything, they have to start over. The article is more compelling, but it leads me to China in general.
I am really starting to think the Opening Ceremonies in Beijing were more creepy than anything else, based on how they run people's lives over there. We complain about 10% of our $$ going to Health Care, what about them? They have 100% of their lives given to the state, and the article implies people who had bad records or files were able to buy the good ones off these kids, and make them their own. That's some Orwellian crap, it's almost too horrifying to be true.
It's so amazing to read how the Gov't over the past few weeks with this, the Rio Tinto mining scandal, and the Han/Uighur clashes is completely confident in it's backtracking, lying, fabricating, and justification of really disgusting ends...But man, they sure can host the hell out of a Decathlon!!!!
Forget Aloof, Bernanke Goes Barnstorming
Ben Bernanke, the Fed Chairman, is going to be taken to task by Ron Paul. Ron Paul was the single most entertaining and interesting person in the 2008 election, more than Obama, Palin or Clinton. I wouldn't vote for him, but he actually gets stuff done and seems to be willing to stick his neck to protect people. He is going to get his fellow lawmakers to put together a Bill that basically oversees and checks everything the Fed does, and Ron Paul seems like the kind of guy who will go through each page of each file.
This is crazy how turned on it's head it has all become...If Bernanke and this group of Fed experts are Bush appointees, Conservative fiscally and otherwise, what kind of Beastly Monster will the Dems appoint in his place? I think Ron Paul's oversight legislation needs to be passed immediately, just to protect us from what may come in the future Head of the Fed seat...
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