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I hate to say it but…

Everyone thought I was paranoid when I …

 

  • Was worried about a global flu pandemic… Granted, when I prattled on about the flu I was talking about the bird flu but I was worried about infectious disease – specifically Dengue Fever and Ebla long before bird flu came along, and now this happens: Mexico City has basically shit down due to a swine flu outbreak. This is scary because this may be the same flu that is circulating around the SW US and is eerily similar to the 1918 Spanish flu that killed millions around the world. This is also scary because flu season should be over, at least in Mexico.
  • Said I have a phobia of velociraptors… You may or may not have read that Florida is considered, by some anyway, to be the ‘Ellis Island’ for exotic species. Recent events like hurricanes let snakes like Burmese Pythons to escape and breed and become a problem (they can grow to 20 feet and have been found with six foot alligators in their stomachs). There are other reasons these animals are now all over, people buy them as pets and let them go. One such friendly critter called the Nile monitor has been wreaking havoc in Cape Coral, FL. According to the 20 April New Yorker, they ‘often hunt in packs, like modern day velociraptors.’ Apparently, they ‘are notoriously aggressive and ill-tempered. When corned, a monitor will stand on its hind legs and hiss, inflating its body and lashing its tail like a bullwhip.’ Nice. They can also travel pretty far though seem to be happy where they are… at least for now.
  • Opposed the changes to FISA… Since its creation in 1978, the FISA court has turned down five requests by law enforcement to listen to communications but that wasn’t good enough for the Bush administration, which forced Congress to change the law in 2007. It turns out, our spy agencies were listening in to Congresswoman Jane Harmon (D-CA). If they can listen to her legally, they can listen to you.

 

I don’t mean to tell you I told you so, but I did. J

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If it means we get health care reform this year, JUST DO IT!!!

Senate Democrats are considering using passing their health care reform bill under  ‘budget reconciliation’ rules that would allow them to pass it with a simple majority rather than the 60 votes they would need to avoid a filibuster.  I am all for it.  We have waited too long for this already and not only will delaying hurt the individuals who lack insurance but our current system puts our companies at a disadvantage when competing against foreign companies whose governments provide their citizens with care. 

 

My ultra paranoid side also thinks this is a national security issue – for economic and public health reasons.  As the planet warms up and as we travel farther and more often so do the vectors that carry infectious disease.  Even without travel, diseases like TB have already mutated to be drug resistant.  A large reason for this is that many who are infected cannot afford the lengthy treatment.  Add Dengue fever, Malaria, etc. to the mix you tell two friends, and they tell two friends and so on…  You get the idea.

 

Back to the Senate.  Republicans are very unhappy about the prospect of a filibuster proof bill.  Senator Judd Gregg (R-NH), who accepted and the declined an invitation to join the Obama cabinet, said that this would be the equivalent to “violence against the Republicans.”  Senators Orrin Hatch (R-UT),  Kit Bond (R-MO) and  John Kyl (R-AZ) have all said things that are similar.  The irony here is that while they think this would violate the rules of the Senate now, they were all for it when they needed to pass George W. Bush’s tax cuts in 2001 and 2003.  Gregg even supported it when GW wanted it to be used to open ANWR because he thought it was his ‘patriotic duty’ to support the president.

 

Honestly I am not a big fan of ‘they did it, so we can’ but this is too important an issue for too many people to let it get stalled by partisan bickering.  Nothing the GOP has done so far indicates they are being honest when they say they want to work with President Obama.  Proof:  despite the concessions made to appease their worries about the Obama budget, it was passed with zero Republican support.  If their goal is to be the ‘party of no’ and to obstruct everything, they should be pushed aside.  They didn’t elect President Obama.  Moreover they had almost eight years of total power and their policies are a big part of why we are here today. 

 

If you agree that health care reform is too important to put off call your Senators – 202-224-3121 or 202-225-3121.

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Baseball season 2009 or rather what I like to call ‘Bataan Death March 2009 baseball edition’

 

 

First, I know the season started a few weeks ago. I know this not just because as a sentient being I can read the calendar to see it’s that time of year. I also know it because once again my soul is ready for a slow and painful death. Despite the fact that I grew up watching the Mets and having them break my heart year after year after year, the 2007 & 08 seasons may have killed baseball for me. Seriously.

 

Generally I do not pay much attention to the off season or even spring training. This is not only because I am lazy and the season is long enough already but because I know the Mets. Maybe the new stadium will be different – and I loved Shea – but many great players seem to fall into some malaise when they reach our park. They do well before and after playing for the Mets but, maybe it’s the water?, they flounder with us. Even when they don’t, our classiest-ever front office (that’s sarcasm) will do something to screw things up. I cannot count how many times I have seen talent shipped off elsewhere to do wonderful things with their new team.

 

Usually I am all about baseball all the time. I check the paper every day, watch as many games as possible and do all the crazy things a fanatic does. If I am at home watching and it seems the team does better when I am paying attention or not, or if I am wearing my old-school jacket or not, I do these things because that’s how superstitious I am.

 

In 2007, I went to the first game of the now infamous melt down. I wasn’t worried. We had such a strong lead in our division. Surely one loss wouldn’t kill it. No, one didn’t. The others did. Last year I watched the last game at Shea at my apartment in DC and nearly lost my voice screaming at the TV (you know they can hear you when you do that).

 

I know how this season will play out already. The Mets have a great team – on paper. Their start hasn’t been perfect but they will get better and maybe will be almost in first place by the All Star break. Then they will crash and burn and in August make a run that will get my hopes up just enough to be crushed when they don’t make it to the playoffs, again.

 

Baseball in a unique sport in a lot of ways. That there is no timer in the game, other than the dates of the season, makes it special. Wake me in October and let me know if we made it.

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Same crap, different week

• Bush admits he made mistakes. Ya think? It’s so good to admit that now. Now, eight days before a new president takes office, you are ready to say you made mistakes. Of course, not for anything that really matters. Was the response to Katrina slow? Not according to Dubya. How ‘bout the economy, “I inherited a recession and I am leaving a recession.” While he finally admitted the ‘Mission Accomplished’ banner was not a good idea, he still thinks the war in Iraq was a good idea and considers Abu Ghraib ‘unfortunate.’ Because it happened or because we found out about it? While the White House called today’s press conference the ‘ultimate exit interview’ if you are one of the few Americans out there who will miss George (the) W (rong son got elected) Bush, fear not. He still has plenty of ‘legacy saving’ interviews/speeches on his schedule.
• You voted for Obama, bought the hat, t-shirt, etc. but do you have the commemorative Metrorail pass/smartcard? No? Well, you had better buy one right now because they are going fast. I shouldn’t joke about such seriousness, they probably will go fast. I am still waiting for my Illinois quarter – in color no less – to arrive, what a steal! A quarter only cost me $20.
• Are political pundits like sharks? By that I mean, if they stop talking, do they die? Do they need polls to survive? Was the most important thing about the meeting Obama requested last week of all living presidents, the colors of their ties and/or what they ate? Does anyone really give a shit about that?
• He really likes to work. “I’m a Type A personality…I just can’t envision myself, you know, the big straw hat and a Hawaiian shirt sitting on some beach, particularly since I quit drinking,” Bush said. (from ABC News among other sources.) Yeah, that’s what I have heard about the President who I believe spent more time away from the White House than any other president and on vacay than anyone in 60 years.
• Say it ain’t so, Joe. Sorry, Joe-the-not-really-a-plumber, your 15 minutes ended about, well 15 minutes after they started. First you were an annoying campaign ploy, then a fraud, then a war correspondent and now are considering running for the US Senate? (http://features.csmonitor.com/politics/2009/01/12/ohio-sen-voinovich-to-retire-could-joe-the-plumber-run-for-senate/) Talk about scraping the bottom of the barrel. Hey, GOP, good luck with that.