Wednesday, August 29, 2012

We're Dealing With a Lot of Sh*t

CLASSIC SCENE FROM BULL DURHAM.   
(just the cover I need to pontificate about politics)
[Larry jogs out to the mound to break up a players' conference]  Larry: Excuse me, but what the hell's going on out here?  Crash Davis: Well, Nuke's scared because his eyelids are jammed and his old man's here. We need a live... is it a live rooster?  [Jose nods]  Crash Davis: . We need a live rooster to take the curse off Jose's glove and nobody seems to know what to get Millie or Jimmy for their wedding present.  [to the players]  Crash Davis: Is that about right?  [the players nod]  Crash Davis: We're dealing with a lot of s--t.  Larry: Okay, well, uh... candlesticks always make a nice gift, and uh, maybe you could find out where she's registered and maybe a place-setting or maybe a silverware pattern. Okay, let's get two! Go get 'em. 
This about sums up my take on the Presidential election pre-convention. Americans are dealing with a  lot of sh*t. On the R- side, folks are looking for reasons to wrap their arms or their minds around the idea of Mitt Romney being their future President, like a reluctant lover reticent to commit to marriage for fear that their future Mr. / Mrs. Wright or Mr. / Mrs. Soul-mate will waltz through the door the moment AFTER they commit. Ain't life just like that?    On the D- side, we have a lot of folks heavily invested emotionally in President Obama. Hanging on like an abused spouse (see Juan Williams below).
Reluctant to leave, even though they feel like -- deep down inside -- it's the right thing to do. He's not good for them, but yet they blame themselves for the abuse. Not the abuser. A little dash of Stockholm Syndrome thrown in  for good measure.  And it's really hard to make a rational decision when you're dealing with emotional issues, right?  So, here we are. Welcome to Sh*t-ville.       -----   Disgusting pig Juan Williams – Ann Romney looked like a ‘corporate wife’ – she’s rich and her husband takes care of her     http://www.fireandreamitchell.com/2012/08/28/disgusting-pig-juan-williams-ann-romney-looked-like-a-corporate-wife-shes-rich-and-her-husband-takes-care-of-her-video/ ---- ---- Juan Williams comes off as nothing but a little p*nk-a$$ b*tch, who is going to be crying for the second election in a row, this time for a different reason. Last time, it was because Mr. Hope and Change was elected. This time it will be because he will be given the home game mainly for delivering more despair than hope and plenty of change, just too much change for the worse in the minds of most R-s, I-s and whites who voted him in the first time. ---
---- This Ann Romney speech encapsulates the so-called "War on Women" in a nutshell. It's not men vs. women. If that's the case, and men are prosecuting this so-called war, you can call it off right now. We lost. It's not even R- men vs. women. They couldn't win a war vs. an ant farm with a case of Raid. It's liberal feminist women vs. traditional wives who are balancing career and motherhood. To some, they are a threat. It is what Sarah Palin represented and that's what an Ann Romney represents, among other things. And it's why they are attacked and feared.     ---   from Wikipedia:
In April 2012, Ann Romney was spotlighted when Democratic commentator  Hilary Rosen declared Romney to be unfit to address women's economic issues because as a stay-at-home mother, she had "never worked a day in her life".[78] In response, Ann Romney issued her first tweet, saying "I made a choice to stay home and raise five boys. Believe me, it was hard work."[79] The following day Rosen said, "I apologize to Ann Romney and anyone else who was offended."[78]
Don't kid yourself for one moment, not ONE!! This is the kind of woman the Ann Romney and Sarah Palin represent. -----
---- And a War on Women -- if their is one to speak of -- has been declared ON these women by the types of radical feminists you will see in full-throated display in Charlotte shortly.  Good Luck Losers. I know who I'm rooting for.  So, we're still dealing with a lot of sh*t. Women engaged in a Civil War. And an electorate that needs a major dose of Dr. Phil to make what may go down as the most important electoral decision in American history. ----
We are so screwed!!! 
My prediction:
---- Way to go Ann!! The most CLUTCH political speech in history. The balance of the election was tipped last night, IMO. She will have more of an effect on the eventual outcome than VP selection Paul Ryan. The pundits set the bar exceedingly high for her -- mainly so she couldn't possibly clear it -- taking the Romney - Ryan chances down with her.  And yet, she delivers the most classy, dignified and inspiring defense of a candidate I've ever heard. And she left a lot on the table. More impressive to me is what she didn't say. She didn't mention one word about Romney giving away his father's inheritance. She did indirectly when she said Mitt is reluctant to pat himself on the back for his charity. The hyper-partisan web site Politifact (a more apt name would be Politi-hacks). You can read their "opinion" as to why the claim is "half-true". I would say after reading, you would be more likely to rate this site "half-assed" and "Pants on Fire" partisan.   ---     from Politi-hack:   http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2012/jan/20/mitt-romney/mitt-romney-says-he-didnt-inherit-money-his-parent/
Our ruling
Mitt Romney, making the case that he made his own wealth, said, "I didn't inherit money from my parents."
Indeed, he was already a wealthy man by the time his father, George, died in 1995. He did receive an inheritance but says he gave it away. We don't have independent confirmation of that. But a family-funded endowment at BYU started in 1998 to support the George W. Romney Institute of Public Management, bolstering Romney's claim.
Did Romney's career benefit from having well-to-do parents? It certainly eased his way, with their financial help allowing him to focus on his studies. But there's good evidence he also worked hard to make his own success, graduating with honors at BYU and Harvard, and building a reputation at Boston Consulting Group and Bain that ultimately catapulted him to wealth.
Romney wasn't entirely clear about the inheritance he gave away when he said he "didn't inherit money" from his parents. But he's right that such a gift wasn't key to his success. We rate his claim Half True.
CORRECTION: An earlier version of this item gave the wrong decade for George Romney's presidential run. He ran in 1968.
http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2012/aug/27/reince-priebus/republican-national-committee-chair-reince-priebus/
Our ruling

Reince Priebus says that Romney "gave away his father's inheritance."

Romney has repeatedly said so himself and that's backed up by the simple fact that Brigham Young University has an institute named for his father launched just a few years after his death. And there’s no reason to think Romney would have needed the money a decade after his lucrative move to Bain Capital.

We find the evidence supports the claim and we see nothing to contradict it. If any evidence emerges, we'll review it. But in the meantime, we rate Priebus’ claim True. Half-true in January and True August 26th. What changed? These folks are ridiculous. --- Ann also did not do what many of the political pundits said she should do to capitalize on the fact that Mitt stayed with her like the dutiful husband through her struggles with MS and breast cancer. She could have played the victim card and she didn't, she mentioned it once, and moved on. Very dignified and graceful. Very rare in modern politics as well. I expect that these two are sufficiently well-grounded emotionally and spiritually that they would never have even considered capitalizing on that aspect of their story.   from Wikipedia:
Regarding the couple's wealth, she alluded to her health problems and said, "Look, I don't even consider myself wealthy, which is an interesting thing, it can be here today and gone tomorrow. And how I measure riches is by the friends I have and the loved ones that I have and the people that I care about in my life."
---- It was a very illuminating insight into how out of touch these folks who wade in the dirty waters of partisan politics are. And how well-grounded the Romney's as a married couple are. We may not know until 4-8 years from now how great a MAN Mitt Romney actually is, judging him by the measuring stick he now wants the American public to use to judge him by. Leader of the nation during a very challenging time.  But if the old adage "Behind (or beside) every great man is a great woman" can still be true in this culture we live in today, perhaps Ann Romney just demonstrated that Mitt HAS exactly what it takes to be great. And she just delivered, in the clutch, the best political speech I've heard in a long time. ---- If she didn't move the dial in closing the so-called gender gap between Romney and Obama, I would be very surprised.  If she didn't move the dial in increasing the enthusiasm gap R-s had in wrapping their arms fully around Mitt as a candidate, I would be very surprised.  If she didn't move the dial among evangelicals, I would be very surprised. -----   WAY TO GO,  ANN ROMNEY!!

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Giants Top Minor League Prospects

  • 1. Joey Bart 6-2, 215 C Power arm and a power bat, playing a premium defensive position. Good catch and throw skills.
  • 2. Heliot Ramos 6-2, 185 OF Potential high-ceiling player the Giants have been looking for. Great bat speed, early returns were impressive.
  • 3. Chris Shaw 6-3. 230 1B Lefty power bat, limited defensively to 1B, Matt Adams comp?
  • 4. Tyler Beede 6-4, 215 RHP from Vanderbilt projects as top of the rotation starter when he works out his command/control issues. When he misses, he misses by a bunch.
  • 5. Stephen Duggar 6-1, 170 CF Another toolsy, under-achieving OF in the Gary Brown mold, hoping for better results.
  • 6. Sandro Fabian 6-0, 180 OF Dominican signee from 2014, shows some pop in his bat. Below average arm and lack of speed should push him towards LF.
  • 7. Aramis Garcia 6-2, 220 C from Florida INTL projects as a good bat behind the dish with enough defensive skill to play there long-term
  • 8. Heath Quinn 6-2, 190 OF Strong hitter, makes contact with improving approach at the plate. Returns from hamate bone injury.
  • 9. Garrett Williams 6-1, 205 LHP Former Oklahoma standout, Giants prototype, low-ceiling, high-floor prospect.
  • 10. Shaun Anderson 6-4, 225 RHP Large frame, 3.36 K/BB rate. Can start or relieve
  • 11. Jacob Gonzalez 6-3, 190 3B Good pedigree, impressive bat for HS prospect.
  • 12. Seth Corry 6-2 195 LHP Highly regard HS pick. Was mentioned as possible chip in high profile trades.
  • 13. C.J. Hinojosa 5-10, 175 SS Scrappy IF prospect in the mold of Kelby Tomlinson, just gets it done.
  • 14. Garett Cave 6-4, 200 RHP He misses a lot of bats and at times, the plate. 13 K/9 an 5 B/9. Wild thing.

2019 MLB Draft - Top HS Draft Prospects

  • 1. Bobby Witt, Jr. 6-1,185 SS Colleyville Heritage HS (TX) Oklahoma commit. Outstanding defensive SS who can hit. 6.4 speed in 60 yd. Touched 97 on mound. Son of former major leaguer. Five tool potential.
  • 2. Riley Greene 6-2, 190 OF Haggerty HS (FL) Florida commit.Best HS hitting prospect. LH bat with good eye, plate discipline and developing power.
  • 3. C.J. Abrams 6-2, 180 SS Blessed Trinity HS (GA) High-ceiling athlete. 70 speed with plus arm. Hitting needs to develop as he matures. Alabama commit.
  • 4. Reece Hinds 6-4, 210 SS Niceville HS (FL) Power bat, committed to LSU. Plus arm, solid enough bat to move to 3B down the road. 98MPH arm.
  • 5. Daniel Espino 6-3, 200 RHP Georgia Premier Academy (GA) LSU commit. Touches 98 on FB with wipe out SL.

2019 MLB Draft - Top College Draft Prospects

  • 1. Adley Rutschman C Oregon State Plus defender with great arm. Excellent receiver plus a switch hitter with some pop in the bat.
  • 2. Shea Langliers C Baylor Excelent throw and catch skills with good pop time. Quick bat, uses all fields approach with some pop.
  • 3. Zack Thompson 6-2 LHP Kentucky Missed time with an elbow issue. FB up to 95 with plenty of secondary stuff.
  • 4. Matt Wallner 6-5 OF Southern Miss Run producing bat plus mid to upper 90's FB closer. Power bat from the left side, athletic for size.
  • 5. Nick Lodolo LHP TCU Tall LHP, 95MPH FB and solid breaking stuff.