Polling, Old School

I was doing an inventory of of my blogs this morning to see which subject had prompted the most comments. The way I figure it the most commented on blog would equate to what people care about the most. It's a rough way to gauge the pulse of the world. And I say world because my site meter shows I have had visits from all over this planet.
Note:To my reader in New Zealand, drop me a note I would love to hear how my blog found you.

NUMBER 3, 10 comments.
Give The City What They Want
This was about Macy's taking over the Chicago favorite Marshall Field's stores. I was in favor of sticking with tradition. The comments, mine included, were 6 to 4 in favor of Marshall Field's. As of this writing they are still Macy's and they have yet to get a penny from me.

Number 2, 19 comments.
NIU, I TOLD U SO
This was another blog about my thoughts on gun control. The comments were mixed with no clear answer what should be done. That is a pretty good representation of reality. Lots of talk, but little action to solve a big problem.

Number 1 blog, 21 comments.
When Idols Die or Just Get Old
This was my blog reviewing "Chicago Legend" Steve Dahl. Most of the comments leaned towards me being a boring jerk. Well, you can't argue with the numbers.

So, what have we learned by this?

• People care more about gun control than the return of Marshall Field's to Chicago.
• People care more about Steve Dahl than they do gun control.
• I need better ideas to write about.

Life Is Like A Box Of Knee Jerk Politicians

The Governor of Illinois announced plans to tear down Cole Hall at Northern Illinois University. This is the site of the horrible Valentine's Day shooting where 5 students were killed.

Tearing down Cole Hall would be a mistake. I think the entire country realizes how tragic that February 14th day was, was. One day and one man does not define a building, a college, or a community. The focus of Cole Hall should be on how all the students came together during a very dark time in their lives. I read many heartwarming stories of strangers helping the wounded while not sure of their own safety at the time. As hard we try, we can not stop bad things from happening. We can, however, learn from these events and try to find the positives. Students at NIU learned they are a strong community willing to help one another, look out for one another, protect each other.

Only the students in or near Cole Hall on that day can truly say what that building represents to them. They should have the option to never step foot inside that building again.

I become skeptic when government officials decide to spend millions of dollars for the sake of erasing bad memories. Let's take those millions and make better laws to try and prevent something like this from happening again.

I'm reminded of the scene in the movie Forrest Gump where Jenny comes across her home where she was abused as a child. She feels the need to throw rocks at the house in anger. We hear Forrest to say, "sometimes there just aren't enough rocks." Which, to me, means that you can tear down Cole Hall, but what happened there will never go away and can never be forgotten.

It should never be forgotten.

I'm Wearing King Size Direct Big and Tall

Pardon my tardiness, I received the cold my wife and son had over the past two weeks.

I was watching the Oscar red carpet show last night, with my wife, relax. Every year the actors are asked, "Who are you wearing tonight?"

I know the actors get free clothes for wearing named designers, but isn't the target audience already on the red carpet? Who are they advertising to?

I know George Clooney and I do not shop at the same store. I shop here, King Size Direct.

Someday, maybe, I'll be on the red carpet. And maybe someone will ask me, "Who are you wearing tonight?"

I will be glad to reply, "It's a rental!"

NIU, I TOLD U SO.

Well, I really don't like being one to say, "I told you so", but "I told you so".
Here we have yet another senseless murder suicide slaughter of 5 students and one yo-yo. My apologies to all decent law abiding yo-yo's out there.

I wrote a blog back in October about my hatred for guns. I predicted this would happen and it will happen again as long as guns are accessible to lune bags.

The students that were killed and injured were not a threat to the shooter. The shooter was not defending himself nor was he hunting caribou, deer, possum, bear, or wildebeest. Those are always the biggest reasons gun lovers regurgitate when talk of gun control comes up. I'm sorry, but if you can't be safe in an Intro to Oceanography class in the middle of farm country you cannot be safe anywhere.

Plus, we must not let this horrific event distract us from the horrific event that happened just 12 days earlier. Five women were murdered in a Lane Bryant store by an animal who didn't have the decency to kill himself also. That pig is still free to do as he pleases.

I know there are pro-gun owners out there that read my blog. They will have their well-trained rhetoric all ready for as to why they should have their guns. Save it, I've heard it all before. Here's a question for you.

Is it worth it?

Is your outdated right to own a gun worth the 178,000 unintentionable deaths caused by firearms in this century alone worth it?

Don't give me your arguments. Send your arguments to the families of the NIU students and the victims of the Lane Bryant shootings. If you can't find them just wait until a tragedy comes closer to your home.

You Can't Handle The Truth!


Yesterday I put the congressional testimony of Roger Clemens and Brian McNamee on TV while I was working. I like to hear things like that first hand so I can draw my own conclusions.

I know one of the men is lying. I just don't know who.

On the one hand you have a man who has nothing to gain by lying in Brian McNamee. He even has two other people agreeing with his story.

Then there is Roger Clemens. One of the best pitchers, if not the best, to toss the ball. What does he gain by lying? Well, everything. If we believe Clemens then his career has not been wasted, he is an auto entry to the Hall of Fame, and his name lives on forever.

Clemens is either telling the truth or is a great liar. I want to believe him, but as I write this I'm realizing he is wrong in my opinion. It is hard to believe everyone else around Clemens, including his wife, was getting shots except himself.

Why do I care?

I guess because when I watch a sporting event I want to believe the athletes I'm giving my money to are deserving to be in the game. I want to believe I'm seeing athletes performing at the highest level. I want to know and see the best. Just like I wouldn't go to a doctor that bought their degree instead of earned it after years of schooling.

These drugs are illegal for reasons I'm sure to protect us. I don't have to live with Roger Clemens, he has to live with himself. Only he and his trainer know the truth. Maybe he can't handle the truth.

The Race Goes On

Who will win the office of President?
Who will you vote for?
Regardless if you like Obama or Clinton or McCain, you have to admit this election has a buzz to it.
I can't remember an election that has been like this. It's exciting to be an American.
Issues are still being talked about and the negative campaigning has been at a minimum.
I know what issues are important to me and those are being discussed.

I still laugh and shake my head when it is assumed blacks will vote for Obama, women will vote for Clinton, and all stodgy grumps will vote for McCain.
If I were a black stodgy grumpy woman I would really be torn on who to vote for.

A few weeks ago fans of Oprah were mad because she chose to support Obama over Clinton. I would imagine her black fans would have been equally upset had she chose Clinton.

This is America people. We have the right to support whomever we chose. Just make sure you chose who I do.

I'm still waiting for Stephen Hawking to "roll" for President. Get it, roll for President!
(Before my critics jump on me. I know he's not American, but Christopher Reeve died and I have no other famous wheelchair bound names in my file.)

Snow Snow Snow

Last time I checked it was February. I live in the Midwest. The average temperature this time of year is 32 degrees. There is always a chance for snow, this area averages 38 inches per year. Unless it's July or August there is no history of a chance of snow.

Yet every time it snows here the news media goes crazy.

I know this will make me sound old, but when I was younger I don't remember snow being a big deal unless the forecast was for feet not inches of snow. Is it just me or are we celebrating mediocrity yet again?

Super Brothers

I don't know what the odds were of two brothers winning two Super Bowls back to back. I'm guessing they were pretty high. While the odds were probably high, I know how it came to be. Brothers are the best sources for training and motivation. I know this because I'm a younger brother.

In our youth my brother and I found ways to compete despite our disabilities. If a psychologist were to analyze us growing up it would have been quite interesting. We both loved sports, but being disabled made it difficult to compete on that level. Did it stop us? No.

I can remember us taking the dice and cup from the game Yatzee and shooting hoops with them.
We found that we could play catch with a rubber ball. Great! Add some imaginary strike zones and you've got a pitching game.
Take any ball. One player uses his feet to move the ball towards the other's goal, the other a stick. Now you're playing Sockey(Soccer + Hockey).

Our disabilities didn't allow us to throw a ball with our arms, no problem. Take a whiffle ball, place it on the end of a regular dowel rod, a ball can now be thrown by someone who can't lift their arms. This discovery led us to modified versions of baseball, basketball, football, golf, and various field events.

We even competed at Tiddly Winks. I swear that is true.

It was all competition it was all healthy. I guarantee the Manning brothers compete at everything they do. They just went from the backyard to the front yard of the world.

I'm sure my brother will dispute this, but I usually was the winner. I know my blog is better then his.

(Let the games begin.)

Weird Super Sunday


Today is Monday.

The day after Super Bowl Sunday. Super Bowl Sunday is the day the world apparently stops spinning so the entire world can focus on the NFL championship.

Don't get me wrong, I love Super Bowl Sunday. In the past I have watched every minute of pre-game hullabalu, and liked it. But, we evolve and things change. Yesterday, I did something I, one, thought I would never do and two, never thought I would admit.

I did something totally non-football related.

I went to see the Hannah Montana 3D movie.

There, I said it!

And furthermore, I liked it!

My son watches her show on the Disney channel. It's a silly little show with some catchy little tunes that get stuck in your head. But, it is something I feel safe letting my son watch. Which, in this day and age, is not as easy as you think.

So there I was at 10AM on Super Bowl Sunday at the front of the line of 200 pre-teens, their parents, and handful of other men over the age of 5. I didn't care. We ran into a friend of ours and their daughter sat with our son. They sang their hearts out for an hour 15 minutes.

My wife had dragged herself out despite a bad cold. I hadn't been out of the house in weeks because of the weather and wheelchair problems. It was a great day.

Maybe the fact that I changed my Super Bowl Sunday routine caused enough ripples in the cosmos to cause the lowly New York Giants to win the Super Bowl. That's my story and I'm going with it.