Thursday, October 7, 2010
Yankees Hate Fest Part II
I guess I really started hating the Yankees back in college. Going to school in Baltimore put me around lots of people from the Northeast. Every one of those guys was born into the Red Sox Yankees rivalry and none of them would ever shut up about their favorite team. Really, I started hating the Yankees because the Red Sox fans weren't quite as annoying. If you have never lived out east, just imagine the cast of Jersey shore wearing jerseys. Ever since then, I have had no better moments in sports than watching the Yankees lose.
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Twins Yanks
Tonight my Minnesota Twins start their playoff series against the New York Yankees. For several reasons, there is no baseball team that I hate more than the Yankees. Though some of my reasons are rational, most are not and that is the best part.
The only thing better than sports joy is sports hatred perhaps because you get so many more opportunities to enjoy it. Your favorite team can't win every year and even if your team has a few years of dominance, it is almost always preceded and followed by even longer periods of mediocrity.
Besides, when your team does win, the victory is ten times better knowing that the team you hate lost. Ask any Red Sox fan. Victory is fleeting, but hatred is forever.
The only thing better than sports joy is sports hatred perhaps because you get so many more opportunities to enjoy it. Your favorite team can't win every year and even if your team has a few years of dominance, it is almost always preceded and followed by even longer periods of mediocrity.
Besides, when your team does win, the victory is ten times better knowing that the team you hate lost. Ask any Red Sox fan. Victory is fleeting, but hatred is forever.
Charles City Comets
I just noticed something that is really irritating me. The mascot of the local high school here is the Comets. The schools colors are orange and black. But, comets are made out of ice not fire. Why aren't the school's colors blue and white?
Monday, October 4, 2010
US Citizenship Test
My wife is taking the citizenship test tomorrow. Neither one of us is worried that she won't pass. They changed the citizenship test recently and I have to say that the questions are very easy; any 9th grade graduate should be able to pass the test with no problem. On top of the general ease of the questions, test takers only have to get 6 out of 10 correct to pass. I guess the questions would be harder if you weren't fluent in English and came from a country which does not have broad elementary education.
The difficulty of the citizenship test makes me think that it really should be more difficult to vote. Now, I don't want a return to the time when literacy tests were used to disenfranchise large groups of people. But, democracy survives on an informed electorate. How can our nation meet its need for the most competent leaders available when 31% of Republicans think that the President is a secret Muslim. The people who think that fluoride in drinking water is a secret government mind control plot should not be allowed to vote. Period. The people who think that the President is intentionally trying to hurt the country should not be allowed to vote. Period. The people who think that President Obama is responsible for TARP should not be allowed to vote. Period. Delusional morons who are so ignorant about basic facts cannot beneficially contribute to our government. And, thankfully, with a little luck there will be one more sane voter.
The difficulty of the citizenship test makes me think that it really should be more difficult to vote. Now, I don't want a return to the time when literacy tests were used to disenfranchise large groups of people. But, democracy survives on an informed electorate. How can our nation meet its need for the most competent leaders available when 31% of Republicans think that the President is a secret Muslim. The people who think that fluoride in drinking water is a secret government mind control plot should not be allowed to vote. Period. The people who think that the President is intentionally trying to hurt the country should not be allowed to vote. Period. The people who think that President Obama is responsible for TARP should not be allowed to vote. Period. Delusional morons who are so ignorant about basic facts cannot beneficially contribute to our government. And, thankfully, with a little luck there will be one more sane voter.
Friday, October 1, 2010
The Mad Hatter's Tea Party
Why exactly are the Tea Party people so mad? I don't doubt their sincerity, only their sanity. They complain that President Obama has raised their taxes. This isn't even close to true; unless you are in the top tax bracket, Obama doesn't even want Bush's tax cuts to expire.
They complain that President Obama wants to take away their guns. Exactly what kind of paint are these people sniffing? President Obama has never made any speeches about taking away people's guns. President Obama has even signed a new law specifically allowing people to bring guns into National Parks; a right these gun nuts didn't have before.
They complain that President Obama wants sharia law in the US and we need a law to stop this from ever happening. This one I find particularly hilarious. We already have this law. I admit, this law is a little obscure, but you may have heard of it: the First Amendment to the United States Constitution. The Establishment Clause specifically bans the government from making any religiously motivated laws. Never mind that Muslims make up only around 0.5% of the country. US courts don't even let schools lead students in a moment of silence; how the hell would anything even close sharia law ever be allowed?
While the Tea Party's leaders are certainly exploiting the Tea Party's racist paranoia either for profit in Palin's case or for personal political gain in Gingrich's case, they aren't creating anything that didn't exist already. A certain percentage of the country are scared as hell of anyone who isn't white and will not recognize anyone else's right to govern other than them. I believe the Tea Party when they say they are mad. But, I don't think they are using the word like we do in America: to mean angry; I think they are using the British vernacular. I think they mean they are bat shit insane.
They complain that President Obama wants to take away their guns. Exactly what kind of paint are these people sniffing? President Obama has never made any speeches about taking away people's guns. President Obama has even signed a new law specifically allowing people to bring guns into National Parks; a right these gun nuts didn't have before.
They complain that President Obama wants sharia law in the US and we need a law to stop this from ever happening. This one I find particularly hilarious. We already have this law. I admit, this law is a little obscure, but you may have heard of it: the First Amendment to the United States Constitution. The Establishment Clause specifically bans the government from making any religiously motivated laws. Never mind that Muslims make up only around 0.5% of the country. US courts don't even let schools lead students in a moment of silence; how the hell would anything even close sharia law ever be allowed?
While the Tea Party's leaders are certainly exploiting the Tea Party's racist paranoia either for profit in Palin's case or for personal political gain in Gingrich's case, they aren't creating anything that didn't exist already. A certain percentage of the country are scared as hell of anyone who isn't white and will not recognize anyone else's right to govern other than them. I believe the Tea Party when they say they are mad. But, I don't think they are using the word like we do in America: to mean angry; I think they are using the British vernacular. I think they mean they are bat shit insane.
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