Sometimes I have way too much time on my hands, ok well, all of the time. You may ask, HallDad, if you have so much time on your hands, why don't you update MitCoBL more? Well, because I'm usually looking at sites like this. Occaisionally, however, it pays off. Like today, I stuble across this gem:

How true. How deliciously true. [Cheshire cat grin]

So by now none of you wants to hear more about the economy, but I heard this interesting tidbit on NPR today.

The state of Kansas is not issuing any income tax refund checks this year, due to budget issues. Not great news, but it makes sense, considering. More alarming, however, is the fact that state employees have been notified that there is a good chance that their paychecks will not be delivered this Friday, because the state can't afford to pay them. That's right, Kansas is so insolvent that they can't afford to pay their employees for work they have already done.

But remember, tax cuts that deprive governments of funding are the only way to get out of this economic mess. HA!

So, after watching his performance today in Indiana and then his presser later tonight, I'm thinking that President Obama should take his show on the road. Hear me out on this one:

- He is clearly at his best when in campaign mode. The daily travelling, the public speaking, really getting his message to the people allows him to spread his message in a meaningful and real way, especially to those who probably don't spend their days flipping back and forth between MSNBC and CNN (like I do).

- Air Force One has a spacious and high-tech office, one which has been used in emergency situations, i.e. 9/11, to run the country. Why not take full advantage? And while we're on the subject, our President has managed to secure himself a Blackberry, let him use it.

- It even might be good for the country to see him out there, sleeves rolled up, doing his work. It would be good for everyone, so why not?

Thoughts?

Sorry I haven't posted lately, things have been heating up on the job search front. Without revealing too much (because a. I don't want to jinx myself and b. I'm not sure how much I should say) it looks like I will soon be sliding into position on a Senate campaign out in the Midwest, with the help of a big-time Philly political consultant/fund-raiser. From there, once my guy gets elected (because if he gets through his primary, there's no way he'd lose), I'll hopefully end up on a Senate staff in DC.

Fingers firmly crossed, wish me luck.

We’re live from my living room on this Tuesday January 20, 2009 for the Inauguration of our 44th President Barack Hussein Obama! Let’s get right to it:

9:45 am: Vice Presidential wives make their way to the limos, followed soon after by the Vice Presidents. Cheney in a wheelchair? I know he supposedly hurt himself, but you just can’t make pure evil look any more sympathetic. Good try though, Dick.

9:47 am: Presidential wives make their way to their limo… Michelle looking her best as usual. And here are our President and President-Elect! And we’re only 5 minutes behind schedule. Excellent. How awkward will this limo ride be? As much as I would like to be in DC for this, I wouldn’t want to be in that particular spot for the next few minutes.

11:00 am: The President and President-Elect arrive at the Capitol. The Supreme Court, other dignitaries and former Presidents arriving… and George H.W. Bush looks OLD. And a cane? This man still jumps out of airplanes for God’s sake! Though the purple scarves he and Barbara are sporting are a very nice, if subtle, political gesture.

11:25 am: Still waiting for the guests of honor…

11:30 am: Wow, people are actually booing shots of W showing on the jumbotrons, which drowns out the introduction of Michelle Obama. Surprisingly bad form.

11:34 am: Current President, VP and Republican leadership get a lukewarm greeting (I’m being generous)… Bush looks lost up there, like he really just does not want to be there.

11:36 am: VP-Elect Biden arrives with the Democratic leadership to a roaring ovation. As expected. No Nancy Pelosi though… Weird.

11:37 am: And there’s Nancy! Walking ahead of the President-Elect, along with the Senate and House Sergeant at Arms and the Senate Majority Leader, and House Minority Leader. Interesting combo.

11:41 am: Obama arrives to enormous cheers, with the whole crowd waving these small American flags that were given out. What an incredible site. Thankfully our MSNBC commentators deemed his arrival an appropriate time to stay silent.

11:44 am: Diane Feinstein pontificates for a little while here, talking about America’s struggle against racism… Now, it might just be me, but the media has been all over this since Election Day, I think we get how historical it is.

11:46 am: Rick Warren delivers our invocation… Very emotional and not really as bad as many people thought. Not that his prejudices or bigotry should be overlooked, but he was good today.

11:51 am: ARETHA! (Singing My Country Tis of Thee)

11:55 am: Associate Justice John Paul Stevens is brought to the podium to swear-in VP-Elect Joe Biden.

11:56 am: Joseph Robinette Biden Jr. is now our Vice President.

11:58 am: YO-YO MA! (and others) for another musical interlude, arranged by the same man who brought you the Imperial March and all other Star Wars music, John Williams.

12:02 pm: Senator Feinstein introduces Chief Justice Roberts to swear in Barack Obama as our 44th President.

12:03 pm: “I Barack Hussein Obama do solemnly swear that I will faithfully execute the office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States, so help me God."

12:04 pm: After a bit of a rocky oath, we have a new President… And I couldn’t be more pleased. 21 gun salute in the background… crazy. On to the speech.

12:26 pm: President Obama finishes up a tight, 21 minute speech, and it was a homerun. A call to service and responsibility that addressed a lot of our current issues, with a smattering of Washington and Lincoln to go right along. Some highlights:

“The question we ask today is not whether our government is too big or too small, but whether it works -- whether it helps families find jobs at a decent wage, care they can afford, a retirement that is dignified. Where the answer is yes, we intend to move forward. Where the answer is no, programs will end. And those of us who manage the public's dollars will be held to account -- to spend wisely, reform bad habits, and do our business in the light of day -- because only then can we restore the vital trust between a people and their government.”- So much for your big-government big-spending Democrat, right? While I’m sure there will be massive amounts of money spent, he is making a pledge of responsibility that has been absent for so long.

Perhaps my favorite section of the speech: “As for our common defense, we reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals. Our Founding Fathers, faced with perils we can scarcely imagine, drafted a charter to assure the rule of law and the rights of man, a charter expanded by the blood of generations. Those ideals still light the world, and we will not give them up for expedience's sake. And so to all other peoples and governments who are watching today, from the grandest capitals to the small village where my father was born: Know that America is a friend of each nation and every man, woman and child who seeks a future of peace and dignity, and that we are ready to lead once more.”- Want to talk about a direct repudiation of the behavior of the last eight years? Especially amazing considering the fact that Bush was sitting just a few feet away. It was fulfilling to hear President Obama say that, that which, sadly, needed to be said.

To conclude, with the President’s words: “What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility -- a recognition, on the part of every American, that we have duties to ourselves, our nation and the world; duties that we do not grudgingly accept but rather seize gladly, firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character, than giving our all to a difficult task.

This is the price and the promise of citizenship.”

Been thinking about starting a new blog for some fiction I'm working on. If anyone who happens to read this has an opinion, let me know. I need a little encouragement to make this happen.

Funny thing, this recession, it even makes socialists compromise their values. Case in point, Hugo Chavez is now allowing Western oil companies, such as Chevron and Shell to bid on oil contracts. Apparently the nationalized oil company in Venezuela is no longer enough to pay the bills, in the face of declining oil prices, but Chavez looks at this as "losing a battle to win the war." Now, I find his new found dependence on the West highly comical, as even though America remains firmly reliant on oil, especially foreign oil, the Obama administration seems quite committed to breaking said reliance.

At his confirmation hearings Tuesday, Secretary of Energy-designate Dr. Steven Chu stated his commitment to nuclear energy, clean coal and alternative fuels. The debate about the safety of nuclear energy, or the very existence of clean coal is highly relevant, but the fact that a high-level appointee seems committed to actual change in energy policy is very promising. Chu even goes as far as to suggest recycling of spent nuclear material as a possible renewable fuel source. He said “We will work very hard to bring up technologies as quickly as possible, but I do think the best thing we can do is work on energy efficiency…that remains lowest-hanging fruit at this time.” Quite creative to say the least, not to mention how potentially damaging this is to a very antagonistic, anti-American regime, such as Venezuela.


On an unrelated political note, there are a handful of recent articles relating to the future of the Republican Party, or lack thereof, that I found particularly interesting. In a WSJ article, former GOP chairman Haley Barbour suggests that the Republican Party must rebuild from the bottom up. He suggests that the GOP build itself up from strong local- and state-level organizations, and get back to its roots as a small-government, tax cutting, cost-reducing party; the GOP of Reagan, while simultaneously catching up to the Democrats in the areas of Internet fundraising and grassroots infrastructure support. While this is clearly a strong idea, there is little to suggest that this is probable, or even possible in the next eight years.

In order to get more mainstream, the GOP must stop fracturing itself at every turn. As the article points out, moderate conservatives in the Northeast are particularly important to this process, but are precisely the type of conservatives that the GOP rejects on a regular basis. They are "too liberal" for the Republicans to tolerate, and highlight the main flaw in the party, the fact that it is actually two different parties, a fiscally conservative party, and a socially conservative party. It would be advantageous to reconcile these two factions, but it will be increasingly difficult, especially when faced with a bevy of young, likable Democratic candidates waiting in the wings.

It would also be advantageous for the GOP if they could get their house in order, and fast. Now, while the plan is sound, no one has apparently informed the state level Republicans. In Tennessee, the GOP regained a majority in House and Senate simultaneously for the first time since Reconstruction. While this is good news, the newly elected Speaker of the House gained his position only by making a deal with Democrats to get elected (the full body elects the Speaker, not just the controlling party). This deal went against a pledge every Republican representative made to vote for another rep for Speaker. Now, the control of the House is unchanged, but how powerful can the Tennessee GOP be if they can't even control a lowly state representative?

In the above WSJ article, it is pointed out that politicians like Sarah Palin are essential to the rebirth of the GOP. This must be music to Democratic ears, well, mine anyway. For whatever reason, Palin continues her crusade against the media and their supposed unfair practices. While she certainly got more than her fair share of attention during the campaign, she was a novelty, and did little to either improve her standing, or help herself look better at any point. The only action she could take was to blame others and name call in the aftermath of a drubbing at the polls. She is precisely the kind of Republican that the GOP does not need; divisive, anti-media and loosely associated with the truth. To be frank, she's my favorite Republican. She can't help but to put her foot in her mouth at every turn, all for the sake of staying in the news and attempting to maintain political legitimacy. I don't believe that the GOP can move on with her in the picture and I also believe that many in the Republican Party know that, but can't stop her from damaging the party's standing further. Good luck to the GOP in figuring out their own mess, but it seems to me that their hole gets deeper by the day.

P.S.- I'll not be discussing Bush's speech tonight, that aired as I was typing this post. It was too far detached from reality to merit a post. Sorry to anyone who was interested. I'll liveblog the Inauguration to make up for it.

On another, unrelated note to my previous entry: Rest In Peace Khhhhhhaaaannnnnn!

Better posts tomorrow. I've got something to say about oil prices, Venezuela, Europe's gas crisis, Sarah Palin and the future of the GOP and the merciful end of don't ask don't tell.

Cheers!

In response to Handy's post here, I submit the true story of Florida State safety Myron Rolle. A consensus top 50 pick in this years draft, the FSU graduate has decided to forgo entry into the NFL draft, and subsequent millions in salary and signing bonuses to attend Oxford on a Rhodes Scholarship.

You may remember that Rolle skipped the first half of an important ACC tilt at Maryland to attend his Rhodes' interview in Alabama. Pretty awesome that he puts his academics ahead of football at two very important turns. And it is not as though he's doing unimportant things in the classroom, either. He's participated in cancer studies as an undergrad and will head to Oxford after finishing his pre-med degree in two and a half years, while maintaining a 3.75 gpa, and a high level of play on the field.

Finally some positive news in a sports world seemingly gone insane.

So, after a long month's holiday hiatus, and an even longer week back in Mass and travelling about, C and I are celebrating New Years by staying home and probably going to bed early. So I figure to get myself back into the whole blogging idea, I'll try to recap the past year. Just for shits and giggles. So, without further ado,

2008 In Review: The Good, The Bad, The Ugly, The Etcetera.

The Good:
- The Presidential Election: Not just the fact that Obama got elected, but how damn entertaining was this past election cycle? The rise of a more progressive Democratic Party (fingers crossed), the utter collapse of the Republican Party as a national party, the complete selling of John McCain's soul, and how can we forget, Sarah Palin and the ensuing high comedy. It was awesome. Full of many great moments. Can't wait till Inauguration Day.

- Ted Kennedy: Yes, I see the jokes coming for miles, and even if you don't like him, he came back from a brain tumor to deliver an amazing speech at the DNC in Denver, and pass the torch to a new generation of democrats. It made me proud to be from Massachusetts, and to have him as my senator.

- The Bruins, Celtics, Pats and Red Sox: Though only one team won a championship, two played above and beyond, and the Bruins look poised for a great extended run to end the season and the playoffs. I can't even fathom that I'll be watching them play into the spring. Hockey in shorts? Not so far in m life time. Amazing. Not to mention that the Phillies won the World Series. Sick.

- Oil prices: Just filled up for $1.45 a gallon in Mass. Lowest price in 5 years.

- Rode the MS 150 City to Shore, from Cherry Hill to Ocean City, New Jersey. Though Team Waterworks only completed the first day, we raised over $2500 to find a cure for MS. It was awesome, and though C and I won't be able to ride next year (we'll be in Massachusetts for the wedding), it was a great experience and I hope to do it again.

- The Olympics were pretty cool, though I grew quite tired of only seeing swimming and beach volleyball, especially considering the last fifty meters of the men's cycling road race was the most exciting ending to a bike race I've ever seen. Also, huzzah Michael Phelps. You're a god amongst men.

The Bad:
- Has anyone actually seen our President do anything remotely presidential since September, besides ride around on Air Force One? Didn't think so. He seemingly missed that his Global War on Terror is raging on two active fronts, there was a rather nasty border war between Russia and Georgia, and the epic collapse of the US economy. Where is he? Attempting to reshape his legacy so that history won't view him as such a douche bag. Here's a tip for you W: Too late. Maybe you should have thought about this when you were acting like an idiot over the past eight years. Oh, and look out for all the new abuses of endangered species, previously protected wilderness and the limits on abortions he's trying to push on through. God Bless America.

- Oil prices: Paid over $4.25 a gallon for gas at some points earlier this summer. Ridiculous.

- Speaking of the economy, I have a real big problem with these bailouts. Not that they occurred, mind you, I think they were necessary. My issue lies in the fact that white collar bankers and Wall Street investors come to Washington and leave with $700 billion essentially unregulated dollars, but when they Big Three car companies come looking for $35 billion, they are slapped around by politicians. Now, they most definitely should have been, they caused their own problems, but at the same time, where was the public castigation of the bankers and their ilk? And why, pray tell, do the union workers need to make concessions for the Big Three to secure financial help? I'm glad that the Republicans can get their faces rubbed in the mud in an election and decide to rebrand themselves as union busters. Awesome.

- Our Angry Planet: Hurricanes Ike and Gustav, a cyclone in Myanmar and an earthquake in China... Looks like we woke up Mother Earth from her nap, and boy is she pissed (And this doesn't even address the massive clusterfuck of a relief effort in each case, by multiple governments).

- Stupid American Politicians: New York governor Elliot Spitzer gets busted visiting a high-end prostitute and resigns, Alaska senator Ted Stevens is convicted on seven counts of various corruption and graft, loses his reelection bid to a Democrat, and still doesn't think he did anything wrong, and Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich will undoubtedly be receiving some time in "federal pound-me-in-the-ass prison" for trying to sell Barack Obama's vacated senate seat, among other instances of corruption. Oh, and of course, he won't resign, because, of course, he's done nothing wrong in his own eyes. You gotta love that absolutely none of these men think they did a single thing wrong and continue to embarrass their constituents and our country in the process.

Personal Accomplishments:
- Got engaged to C. Awesome, obviously.

- Finished grad school, now full time into job hunting.

- Didn't go broke. Yet.

- Healthy fiancee, healthy dog, healthy guinea pig. The state of the family is strong.

EDIT

- Saw the Who in concert. Best concert I've ever been to, or will likely ever go to.

EDIT

Personal Disasters:
- No new job yet, even though I've been looking for a year and planned on having a new one six months ago, at worst.

- About to go broke.

- No idea how to pay for the wedding, but working on it, one way or the other.

Best Event of the Year: Hands down, Election Night. No elaboration needed.

Worst Event of the Year: Ignoring the now 6 plus year tail chase in Iraq, the current Israeli-Hamas conflict over Gaza, followed very closely by the Mumbai terrorist attacks. If you are under informed about these events, especially the conflict in Gaza, please find some time to educate yourself. As mush as I support our backing of Israel, at what point does a massive bombing campaign against what are essentially refugee camps become more than a proportional response? I know that I can never fully understand the situation, but I can see this current conflict spiraling out of control very, very quickly.

Quote(s) of the Year: "America, this is our moment. This is our time. Our time to turn the page on the policies of the past. Our time to bring new energy and new ideas to the challenges we face. Our time to offer a new direction for this country that we love... Because if we are willing to work for it, and fight for it and believe in it, then I am absolutely certain that generations from now, we will be able to look back and tell our children that this was the moment when we began to provide care for the sick and good jobs for the jobless; this was the moment when the rise of the oceans began to slow and our planet began to heal; this was the moment when we ended a war and secured our nation and restored our image as the last, best hope on Earth. This was the moment -- this was the time -- when we came together to remake this great nation so that it may always reflect our very best selves, and our highest ideals."- Barack Obama, Democratic Primary Victory Speech in Minneapolis, June 3, 2008
and
"This is our time, to put our people back to work and open doors of opportunity for our kids; to restore prosperity and promote the cause of peace; to reclaim the American dream and reaffirm that fundamental truth, that, out of many, we are one; that while we breathe, we hope. And where we are met with cynicism and doubts and those who tell us that we can't, we will respond with that timeless creed that sums up the spirit of a people: Yes, we can."- Barack Obama, Victory Speech in Chicago, November 4, 2008

Book of the Year: Rick Atkinson's Day of Battle was an amazingly well researched and written work, and my favorite of the year. Even though they aren't new books, I also read and thoroughly enjoyed Barack Obama's Audacity of Hope and Mikhail Bulgakov's Master and Margarita, among other things.

Music of the Year: Limiting choices to those in my collection, which excludes almost all country, pop, rap and hip-hop, we come to Metallica's Death Magnetic for album of the year and the Kings of Leon with Sex on Fire as song of the year. The Metallica album was their best in years, maybe decades. It was heavy and raw, and I loved every track. Even though it is a simple song about sex, I though Sex on Fire was really great. I'm sure the musically inclined among you, especially Handy, will heartily disagree.

Movie of the Year: Dead tie between Tropic Thunder and the Dark Knight. I can't really decide, both were equally great. Obviously everyone drools over Heath Ledger's performance, but I found Aaron Eckhardt's Harvey Dent was equally good as well. Just one man's opinion. I also think both Robert Downey Jr and Tom Cruise's performances in Tropic Thunder were great. I guess I'll leave this one up to you.

So, that's it I guess. Hope you all had a great 2008, here's to a smashing 2009.

He must be stopped. He cannot be allowed to get away with this.

Let me repeat that one more time, just so we all understand: He. Must. Be. Stopped.

Instead of attempting to help this country out of a horrific economic meltdown (no events at all on his public schedule today), George W. Bush is spending the last 50 or so days of his administration, attempting to rewrite history. He and his top-level advisers such as Karl Rove and Karen Hughes are working on the "Bush Legacy Project," which seeks to undermine the facts as we know them regarding some of the worst actions undertaken by Bush and his cronies.

It is now widely known how inept the Bush Administration was in such large-scale disasters as Hurricanes Katrina and Ike, the War in Iraq, torture and the current economic meltdown (I try not to call it a depression, but we're probably there already). What the BLP is essentially doing, is coming out in force to revise history to fit the administration's opinion of itself, facts be damned.

Perhaps the most disturbing statement to come out of this effort thus far is Karl Rove stating, "Absent that [WMDs], I suspect that the administration's course of action would have been to work to find more creative ways to constrain him like in the 90s." So, let me get this straight: If you knew there were no WMDs in Iraq, Bush would have favored sanctions, not war. But wait a minute, he DID KNOW that there were no WMDs in Iraq, but went on ahead and continued his father's war anyway. The BLP would also have you blame "faulty intelligence" for the war, concluding that even though it was ultimately Bush's decision, as if there is even a scintilla of questionable evidence, YOU DON'T GO TO WAR. Bush has echoed Rove's statement in recent TV interviews, and even attempted to divest himself of any responsibility in the latest crisis, the economy. To wit, when asked by Charlie Gibson if he bore any responsibility for the current crisis, he manages to stumble over his answer and this gem comes out:

"You know, I'm the President during this period of time, but I think when the history of this period is written, people will realize a lot of the decisions that were made on Wall Street took place over a decade or so, before I arrived..."

So wait, this mess is his dad's fault? I'm confused. When in doubt, duck and cover and blame everyone else, including your own family? These tactics must be made to fail. We, as Americans, can not allow this man to get away with abusing the truth and our own history the way he has abused this country for the past eight years. Please, for the love of God, keep your ears and eyes open, and preserve our nation's history, unsavory as it may be, and preserve the real Bush legacy, so that future Americans can understand how poorly this country was run, and who is responsible for the messes we find ourselves mired in.

Last night, for what ever reason, I decided to search for my old blog. One that I created years ago, while I was in undergrad. No, you can't see it... at least not with my help, but that's not the point here. My point is that I learned a few things about myself in the process of rereading my old musings:

- The summer of 2004 was truly the best time of my life. My first summer out on Boston Harbor, lost a ton of weight, felt good, but most importantly started dating C, to whom I am now engaged. It was a pretty awesome time in my life, but I can't say that I would go back and do it all over again. I've grown so much since then, and it's a neat process to see.

- The winter and spring of 2004 were an exceedingly angsty time for me. I was dealing with a lot of shit, and realize now how shitty it was to be around me (thanks for the heads up, jerks). I also had forgotten how awesome the people who supported me were (C, Handy, Jen, Danie, Heidi, etc). So, since I'm sure I didn't say it then, thanks.

- Sadly, I also learned that I was a horrendous abbreviator and letter skipper. On purpose. It's insanely juvenile, and really annoying, and if any of you are carryover readers, my bad.

It was neat to read about my life years removed from the happenings. It made me realize how insanely good the good times were, and also that even though there were bad times, and there will continue to be bad times, things are ok in the end. That's got to count for something.

Hey Handy and Gopher-


Told ya.

Because Keith can say it better:

WARNING: The following post contains profanity, as well as an example of pure idiocy.

So, the other day I was friended on Facebook by someone I went to high school with, but really don't remember. This person has since moved out west and apparently become some kind of evangelical Christian. No big deal, people can be however they want to be.

Now, as most of you know, I find myself to be a pretty progressive guy, and have been especially upset by the whole Prop 8 fiasco in California. As far as I'm concerned, America is built on the idea that everyone, no matter race, color, creed, sexual preference, is equal. I may not have blogged much about it, but it is far more clear in my Facebook profile.

Why then, would this "friend" of mine invite me to join a group whose intent is to "Save Marriage," by demanding that marriage be recognized as only a union between a man and a woman? Shit like this really pisses me off. I'm sure this person will argue from a religious perspective, and to that I must respond, simply, that it is not a religious argument. Sure, it sucks that some churches don't want to marry gay people, but it is their choice. They are private institutions that can't be legislated. Do I wish it were different? Of course I do. But the marriage I am talking about is the legal kind, the kind that gets couples certain protections under the law, and certain privileges, like hospital visits and survivor's benefits. I can just tell that this is going to be a silly argument... but I can't wait.

Oh, and in the ultimate irony, this person currently has as their Facebook status: "We hold these truths to be self evident that all men are created equal and are endowed with certain unalienable rights such as LIFE,Liberty and happiness!"

Clearly the rights of an unborn child are more important than those of adults. HA!

A little late, but hilarious none the less, via GOOD and Youtube:

Barry and McNasty (and Busey?) in: Swing(er) States.

I didn't liveblog tonight like I said I would. I'm sorry, I'm a bad person, but I must say tonight was immensely satisfying. I can't wait to wake up tomorrow to check the final score, but right now, with three states still in play (IN, NC and MO) it looks like this:

Obama/Biden: 338 (364, assuming he picks up 11 in IN and 15 in NC)
McCain/Palin: 163 (174, assuming he picks up 11 in MO)
House: Dems + 21ish (With a few left to come in)
Senate: Dems + 19 (Assuming they pick up seats in too-close-to-call races in OR and AK)

Dems won't get 60 in the Senate, but at least they can kick Lieberman out of the caucus. They even picked up a governor's mansion in Missouri.

Nuts... Landslide kind of nuts...

Good Lord, my mind is blown. Before I get into the story, let's set the scene. This afternoon, the Eagles played a home game in Philly, and not long after, the Phillies started Game 4 of the World Series. Also tonight, the Who visited the Wachovia Center, for a concert that took place concurrently with the Phillies' game. Busy day in the sports complex area. Where was I, you might ask? Well, that would be the Who concert, of course, and it absolutely blew my freaking mind.

BG calls me at noon, and says, "Hey, want to go to the Who tonight, for free." (The guy who paid for the ticket had to back out. Obviously, Bob's got a bottle of whiskey coming his way.) Needless to say, it didn't really matter that I had to work. After about 30 minutes of a crappy opening band whose name escapes me, it was time to rock out... for the next 2 hours.

First, some general comments, then a setlist as I remember it. To begin with, whoever does the lights for the Who deserves a damn medal. The effects were amazing, and added measurably to what would have been an amazing show in its own right. Also, whoever says that old dudes can't rock, well, they are sorely mistaken. Roger Daltrey and Pete Townshend rock harder than anyone I have ever seen, and it physically exhausted me just watching them, I can't imagine actually doing what they do.

So, for a playlist. I'll double check it tomorrow when the reviews come out, but I think I was able to get it down pretty pat: Can't Explain; The Seeker; The Kids Are Alright; Fragments; Who Are You; Behind Blue Eyes; Good Looking Boy; Sister Disco; Baba O'Riley; Getting in Tune; ?; 5:15; Love Reign O'er Me; My Generation; Won't Get Fooled Again. Encore: Medley from Tommy, including Pinball Wizard; Amazing Journey; See Me, Feel Me; and Listening to You; concluding with an acoustic Tea and Theater.

The Who took the stage and Pete, almost a little too humbly says, "We know we're not the biggest game in town tonight," which is quite true, as most people were cheering just as loudly for the Phillies' updates they were getting on their cellphones, as they were for the songs being played. They rip off the first three songs rapid fire, including an amazing rendition of The Seeker. Who Are You and Behind Blue Eyes really ramp up the crowd, but an odd, if somewhat long Elvis tribute kind of calmed things down, but luckily Baba O'Riley soon followed, really getting the crowd back into the game.

Daltrey really hit one out of the park on Love Reign Over Me, my favorite Who song, and showed that he still has that gravely scream that drives the song home. Now, just as the band transitioned into My Generation, and I mean literally just, Ryan Howard hit a 3-run home run to put the Phillies up by 4. I really thought the roof was going to come off the joint; the place just exploded. To conclude the main set with Won't Get Fooled Again was genius. It left the crowd simmering, and quite frankly wondering what they could do for an encore. Though they missed some favorites (Magic Bus, Squeeze Box, I Can See For Miles), the encore they chose could not have been more amazing. They guys retake the stage to a roaring ovation, Pete quiets the crowd and says, "For our encore, excerpts from an opera." All I could think was Tommy. And I'll be goddamned if they didn't launch into a medley from Tommy that lasted for 25 straight minutes. No lie. After 90+ minutes of kicking major ass, they come back for a nearly 30 minute encore. Beyond mind blowing. The night ended with an acoustic and, dare I say, intimate performance of Tea and Theater, with just Roger and Pete.

The point: Singly the best concert I've ever been to, or will probably ever go to. Townshend's guitar was simply incendiary and Daltrey showed that even after decades of abuse, his voice could still rise to the occasion when called upon. My ears will be ringing for the better part of the next week for sure, but, really, would we want it any other way?

Whenever I feel badly about myself (more often than not these days), I click onto this website, and feel a bit better about the world.

I've run the election simulation a ton, probably over 100 times, and each time Obama has won.  It gives me hope, if nothing else, that someday everything will be ok.

Of all random days, today was kind of awesome. Please, let me explain:

First, an absolutely bee-you-ti-ful day, though I had to spend it at work, but I digress.

At work I spend a lot of time in my office, basically dicking around until someone needs me to do something; as such, I need to find ways to entertain  myself. I usually do this by spending my morning shifts listening to the Preston and Steve radio show on WMMR (site here). Every morning P&S have what they call the Lesson Question, in which they ask a question regarding something they discussed earlier on the show. If you remember, and are the right caller, you win a neat prize.

Well, kids, today I happened to be the right caller, and remembered that Steve was expecting to see the face of Phillies' centerfielder Shane Victorino gracing cans of Spam in the grocery store. Consequently, I nabbed a $50 gift certificate to this neat CC pub called Dr. Watson's (Doc Watson's).

What one must understand, of course, is that shit like this never, ever, happens to me. The fact that I called the contest line and the phone actually rang, is a victory in and of itself. Picking up, getting my name and putting me on hold was even better, and then actually giving me a prize, is pretty damn awesome. Yeah, I understand that it's not like I won a million bucks or a car or something, but it really made my day.

Oh and a special MITCOBL announcement, our next liveblogging experience will occur in 18 days, I'll let you do the math and figure out why that date will be important, but here's to hoping that the day goes down in history as the most pivotal day in my lifetime.

And even though I've been very clear about whom I support, remember it is essential that you vote, regardless of which party or candidate you are for. It's essential to everything America is about. And even if we can't agree on politics, we can all agree that this is pretty damn funny.