Running

The Rainbow is done...blah.  I discovered a lesbian love affair late Saturday nite, which made the book only slightly crappy and tedious, but still crappy.  Now I am on to Blackett's War, which concerns the scientific effort to win the U-boat war in WWII, so it is quite up to my taste.

I would have appreciated it if someone had explained to the world the origin of baseball's odd rules -- such as obstruction and interference -- rather than explain them...because one would go a long way to the other.  In the early days of the game of course, when there was no power and an emphasis on baserunning (and more baserunners, given the small gloves and crappy infields), baserunning played a major role in the game.  And, some (most) of the players of the time...well, many were just not gentleman, if you get my drift, and you can read in the early accounts all sorts of shenanigans that would never fly today, not even by a long shot.  Hence, people realized very early on that the rules had to be tightly written to prevent something short of boxing from happening on the basepaths (by both the runner and the fielder)...and here we are today.

I hate to say this, but the World Series games rung very long; it really shouldn't take four hours to play a baseball game.  In a National League park, to boot.

Alive

Another post hiatus...well, between the World Series, skeeball -- I sucked -- and sleep -- yes, sleep -- I have excuses.  I had some OC duty today...maybe it was the weather, maybe it was the end of the month, but...it was quiet.  Busy, but quiet.  I guess I cannot complain, especially with the crowds beginning to pick up.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/kellyphillipserb/2013/10/24/vatican-suspends-bishop-of-bling-over-40-million-home-renovation/

I can't but wonder if the guy is a Franciscan.

I wonder what the GOP's next move will be; I don't think it will be immigration.  The Obamacare rollout is an obvious choice, but I don't think it is a long-term one; sooner or later, the glitches will be fixed.  I would argue that the sticker shock -- premium jumps and all -- would be the next logical move.  Not only would it counteract the old "If you like your plan, you can keep it" line, but it would be a logical stepping stone for a decent bit of health reform...not only should you be able to buy health insurance from anywhere, but you should be able (like you should for cable) pick and choose the coverage you want for anything...It would be the libertarian paradise, offer a nice sop to pro-choicers (If you want abortion, you pay for it), and people couldn't gripe about health care costs if they signed off on them.  Well, they could, but...

In other news, I am about half-complete with The Rainbow, and no one could say it is a joy to read...ok, a chick could, but I am not one, and hence, it is not really a fun or exciting deal.  And I have the sequel right after..

Choice

The Black Madonna Mass tonite was pretty awesome (in both senses); full ensemble cast, Bishop, incense, music (for once acceptable), two priests with Communion...I do like the quick ones, but a High Mass like tonite's is good for the soul once in a while, I would say.

The BCS standards are out, and Buckeye Nation is crapping themselves over the prospect of going 12-0 and not making it...well, play someone.  I mean, Cal is ok, and they do get some credit for scheduling Vandy (who backed out, spurring the A&M debacle, points-wise) but the rest of the schedule was somewhat excerable, and given the weakness of the conference...I don't feel a lot of sympathy.

Sort of like these people; I mean, you voted for Hope and Change -- twice -- so you really deserve to be poor and unemployed and futureless.  One takes a chance and blows it...well, sucks to be you, shitforbrains.

http://inplainsight.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/10/21/21061377-idle-youth-15-percent-of-us-young-people-out-of-school-work?lite=

 

Change

I feel like a total loser; it's Saturday nite and I am looking forward to an early bedtime.  Honestly, I have a cold of sorts, and I am tired, and my sleepless week has been replaced by a day when I got seven hours of sleep...hence, the need to go and relax.  Today I worked on some OC pricing and other data...lunched and groceries with Mom, and...well, more work. 

I finished Shlaes' Coolidge and it was...fairly interesting; I suspect some of the points she was trying to make were put off by the fact that times are different, but on the whole...well, it was good...one tends to forget the idea of cutting taxes=more revenue -- the Laffer curve, if you will -- was as poorly regarded then as it was (sort of) now.  I suspect the reason is that the 20s were followed by the 30s, and of course people correlated incorrectly.  Of course, nothing is new under the sun.

Next on the list is D.H. Lawrence's The Rainbow, which I am sure will be as scintillating as punch. 

I also note it is cold outside.  Winter-like, almost, though maybe it is just the first frost of the season.  Not enough to put the furnace on, of course.

Linkage

I have to admit...the GOP must look and feel like idiots right now; they ended with less than what they started, the poll numbers are in the shit, and the internal sniping is the worst.  If this IS the nadir, now is the time for it, but I don't see an end game for the next time...unless everyone gets on the same page, which is doubtful.  Were it not for the Obamacare rollout problem, it would be a shitter of a week.  Now, it is only sort of a shitter week, which is infinitely superior.

http://www.mediaite.com/tv/ann-coulter-talks-to-mediaite-about-issuing-a-fatwa-for-conservatives-and-why-she-mostly-watches-msnbc/

You know, for all the talk of her being a crazy person...she doesn't seem it in this one; on the contrary, all of her suggestions are eminently intelligent.  I sometimes wonder if people like her aren't unfairly marginalized simply because they tend to go off the reservation, so to speak; as she herself notes, she is the commentator, she is supposed to rally the base...but she is also something of a media professional; she has to know what sells and doesn't in Peoria.


http://www.politico.com/story/2013/10/arthur-laffer-is-back-as-gop-tax-man-98299.html?hp=l15

This doesn't surprise me; the main problem with Laffer hasn't been the taxes, but the fact that people don't cut the spending as well.  One must then look to Hayek and his concept of malinvestment to see why government spending is the least efficient of them all.  Of course, spending implies doing, and it is better to be seen as doing something -- even if it is wrong -- than to be idle.  I say it at the OC...maybe I should stop.

Runs

I had to admit, I was fascinated by Leyland's bullpen management last nite...to me, why have Coke on the roster if you will not use him?  Then, why NOT use Smyly to face Victorino and then Oritz?  I dunno, he was pretty effective during the year and has good stuff, so...why not?  Finally...I guess putting in the closer to face Ortiz was the "right" move -- better than saving your best pitcher for a save that never comes -- but why not bring him in to face Victorino?

In the meantime, the Dodgers have scored a run, and the world rejoices.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/realspin/2013/10/08/right-to-work-laws-help-states-like-oklahoma-shine/

For all the talk of Ohio's job growth slowing, did it ever occur to anyone that this could be part of it?  Michigan passed it, Indiana has it, and this means there are options for people looking to put a plant or other employment center...to say nothing of the entire South.  Sometimes, what passes for economic analysis is really just plain old common sense.

Looking at the "deal" to end the shutdown, I think the GOP would have been much better trying to get a deal on the debt ceiling...to concede all of your advantages withough winning anything...well, that was dumb, especially when the Obamacare websites are collapsing under their own weight...

Leisure

And just when I thought baseball couldn't be more exciting, it was...a one-hitter.  Nine million Ks, or something like that.  Another one-run game.  Runners on in the ninth.  Awesome shit all around, and I really don't think anyone felt anything but.

Today, oddly enough, I didn't do all that much -- read some magazines, finished a book, cooked some pasta, did some cleaning, worked on some administrative stuff for the OC...but here it is, nearly nine, and I am finally done with all of these little things.  The library pile has noticeably shrunk over the past few days, so what did I do but go and order some more?  Well, needs to be done.  In the meantime, next up is the bio on Calvin Coolidge I wanted to read for some time.

I noticed that Game Stop has marked down its game systems, and am really thinking about ordering one; on the one hand, I think adults shouldn't be gaming, and I don't have the time to do it.  On the other hand, everyone else does it -- including my friends -- and I have been talking for quite a while about being less involved with such things as the OC and doing more fun things, and this is ONE way to go and do it.  Then I think, there are better uses for the money....and we all know what that means, especially to me.

Balance

http://www.forbes.com/sites/realspin/2013/10/11/the-national-park-services-behavior-has-been-shocking-and-it-should-be-privatized/

It is not quite the NPS that is doing it, but it should be privatized.  Not that it will be, of course; too much graft and corruption would go "wasted" if it were.

OC duty today, and it was...well, smooth.  Steady busy but quiet.  People were nice -- I was in the clothing room first, and then to bagging and carting food, so it was sort of nice...exercise, if you will.

I got home in time to watch the end of TX-OK; didn't see that one coming, not in the least.  I hope my pool doesn't have any further surprises.  Speaking of, it is a shame that few people are watching the NLCS, because it is everything a baseball fan could possibly want....

Quick Hits

http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2013/10/pastor_of_st_ignatius_of_antio.html#incart_m-rpt-2

I am shocked, shocked, by this...and a son of Erin, well, I'll be.  Actually, it was rough when I got home...I had to explain to my Mom what "autoerotic asphyxiation" was and today I had to explain to her -- like I know -- the whole concept of men having sex in parks.  I can only imagine what tomorrow will bring.

http://www.mercurynews.com/nation-world/ci_24248486/obamacares-winners-and-losers-bay-area

I get a kick out of stories like this, because...well, what did you expect?  To me, this is the biggest problem with Obamacare...no one knows what it will cost, and what will happen (ok, that we know) if it costs too much.  Of course, those who benefit most from it will have to pay their fair share, right?

I have to admit, I can;t sleep again...and I had trouble with it the entire week.  Odd.  I think I may even break down and try to take a nap tomorrow, just because I feel the entire weight of torpor on me, and there is little I can do about it, which is most annoying...

Special, so Special

Trying to get this post in before a very special episode of "Glee."  Ok, the show is quite maudlin to begin with, and this should be totally over top.  And, let's face it, this is Matt, who is not Mr. Sympathy, especially for people who get hooked on smack.  This is why I am in charge of the parish Help the Poor Campaign.

Speaking of, the September stats from the OC:
493 households (a big jump), serving 219 seniors, 698 adults, and 500 children (reported)

Which ties in to the next thing, namely, getting the expansion off the ground; we need to fundraise, the plans have to be finalized, the contractor has to be selected, the Diocese has to approve, and, God forbid, what if we have to shut down during construction.  And not a government shutdown where everyone works, essential or not; we would prolly have to close for a while, and of course, some of staff will go apeshitty over this.  Not that a break would be bad for us.  Ok, me.

So, dined at Market in Rocky River last nite...it was good.  I mean, my entree was fine, our server got us in for half-price brews, and the porch was nice (even by a firepit)...but it did seem to be the place where the pretty people hang out, and it was a little pricey...not that I mind, and I didn't have to pay (I treated the last times, but you know how I feel about that), but there is always a little part of me that wonders if it isn't better for everyone to just eat home and give the money to some worthwhile cause.  For all my snark, I do think a simpler way of life is the better one....at times.

Trek

I went down memory lane tonite, and as always, I was damn sorry I did.  I found my box of senior photos, and after I removed mine, the next one was...a classmate who died, and a good friend, to boot.  I went to the next one...another dead classmate.  And that was the end of the senior picture box.

So, we had our OC board meeting, and we all -- well, majority -- agreed to expand the center and the funding plan.  Now all we have to do is get it done...architects, builders, contractors, and of course, fundraising.  To be sure, that which we do NOT raise can be done favorably, but...it would be better for us all if the heavy lifting was done by us, and so I will start looking for grants and other things to get us in the black for the project.  Work leads to more work, I guess.  But we will survive.

I am interested by the reaction to Fredi Gonzalez after the Braves loss; on the one hand, he is damned for leaving Carpenter in and NOT pitching Venters...but on the other, it's defensible.  Carpenter was the second-best pitcher, it was the backend of the lineup, you didn't want to use your closer for too much (he could run out of gas), and Venters has seen a lot of use.  I guess I would have done the same thing; let Carpenter get the bunter and bring in the closer for five outs.  If you think about it, it's nearly two generations since the days of "the best reliever pitches 100 IP" in a season and stuff like that.  I am not saying that it is the correct approach, but it is also not done, and for Fredi to do it now...well, you get burned either way.

Lazarus

A week away...I return  Wednesday was Pub Quiz, with a disappointing second place finish.  A Tribe loss, which was also depressing, but not that unexpected.  Skeeball Thursday, and then this weekend was the Polish Festival, where I worked my ass off for three days in the kitchen...and Mattie is very tired.  Ok; I am fine today, but it does take a lot out of you.  I keep telling myself NOT to do this again, but eventually I do so....alas.

The funny thing is, I tried to sleep in Saturday and today (I took off) and of course, I could not...7 am, bright and shine.  I did clean my house -- thoroughly -- over the weekend, so it looks fairly spotless.  But it is a small consolation...sort of like that last OSU TD that allowed everyone to cover, and all were pleased.

At the OC some people are concerned with rising food costs.  So, Matt being Matt, I looked into it...and well, some costs are going up, some are stayung that same.  I guess I am not surprised, but when I looked at some of the stuff we are spending money on, it is quite odd.  The Cleveland Food Bank is working to promote healthy living and eating by providing more fruits and vegetables, which is good, especially as we are now fully subsidizing the health care of our clients...but the main issues are 1) Our clients aren't the type to appreciate it, if you get my drift, and 2) It will cost us some money, which we have, but not really...  And we all know whose job it is (in part) to figure out what to do next...