The long march.

October is here which means we’re winding down in terms of warm weather. Thus begins one of my least favorite parts of the year - the horrible period after the baseball season ends and the days get shorter and colder. Can’t say I ever had much use for the cold after the age of about fifteen (a little bit of a story in that) and it has only gotten something I’ve felt more acutely as I have aged.

Tonight, was an evening where the warm weather was trying desperately to maintain its grasp on us and I welcomed its tenacity.

As part of my celebration, I walked. Oh, how I walked. Today I worked and walked all of about four miles from below Wall Street up to Grand Central. If I am fortunate, I will not notice this when I try to get up tomorrow. I notice lately that while I don’t notice these things the day of, the day after is when I must pay freight.

I enjoyed my meandering stroll - quite a bit so whatever the price is it was more than worth it. I get the sense now I must force myself to do these things, take these long walks, if only to maintain the ability to walk like that. It was just over four miles. On the way I got to see how the city is changing.

I can’t walk in front of City Hall anymore - I can walk in the beautiful park but, I can’t walk in front of the building and look at the grandly ornate and majestic facade as I once was able to. We live in different times and there are all manner of security measures in place. Walking further up Broadway, I couldn’t help but take notice of all the cameras in and around Federal Plaza - the thick stanchions in place to prevent a truck from getting too close to the building and repeating Oklahoma City.

My thought about that as I walked past was that those measures are great for the building but, what about the people across the street who are afforded no such protection.

I don’t know, these things make sense in one way but, in another they speak about giving up some things which are very good about us. Things which make us lesser as a people.

Tower Records is going out of business too. They had a big sign in front of the store advertising a big sale, all sales final and all that. On the heels of the closing of CBGB this past weekend, it probably says something about New York.

Along the way I did a quick bit of shopping along Canal Street, picking up something for someone from very far away. A bit of a surprise, which was placed in a flimsy bag which broke as I tried to beat the light at Houston Street. I watched as the speeding cars danced around it until it finally succumbed to some unknown driver’s tires.

Ouch.

So, I guess it makes the walk sound a bit sad but, it wasn’t. It was glorious and beautiful and wonderful and all those things a walk through the city should be.

How could that be?

Well, while things may be closing and I may have watched something get crunched but there’s nothing bad about change. It’s not my enemy. I welcome it, just like I welcome the promise of each new day. Tomorrow is full of promise and if a infrequent crunch finds its way into my life I’ll try not to let it bother me more than it should and certainly not so much that it will ruin my walk and the many more walks I want to take in each of those new tomorrows because change is all around us and there is plenty to see.

Just a thought.

Friday cat blogging on a Saturday afternoon.

Oh, how she suffers!

Because it’s really in bad taste.

I’ve already started working on the Corey Lidle jokes.

The event in Asia that affected American policy in the Middle East.

The news just hit the wire a short time ago about the successful nuclear test by North Korea:

“The nuclear test was conducted by 100 percent of our wisdom and technology,” the agency said.

“Our science and research centre safely and successfully conducted an underground nuclear test on October 9, 2006.”

This is not a small event and the ramifications across the world will be significant. The best hope under the circumstances is that China would force a regime change in the North but at the moment that looks unlikely. Thing is, without strong action on the part of the Chinese now, it could make life more dangerous in the long run.

Chinese foreign ministry officials and the government’s North Korea watchers have discussed policy options in the wake of North Korea’s televised vow to conduct a nuclear test. The Chinese ambassador to the United Nations issued a pointed appeal for Pyongyang to desist.

“No one is going to protect” North Korea if it goes ahead with “bad behavior,” Wang Guangya said amid the heated diplomacy this past week over a statement criticizing Pyongyang. “I think if North Koreans do have the nuclear test, I think that they have to realize that they will face serious consequences.”

Thing is there’s a lot going on in that part of the world currently:

President Hu Jintao will be watched closely by China’s political elite for signs that he plans to further consolidate his power at an annual policy-making meeting following the ouster of a prominent Communist Party leader for corruption, analysts said.

Although the party has said its four-day Central Committee meeting starting Sunday will officially focus on helping the poor, it is often a time for high-level personnel changes.

and...

“That China and Japan came to an agreement at a summit never to accept a North Korean nuclear test is in itself a strong message to North Korea,” Abe told reporters.

“I think North Korea is closely watching this summit. It was meaningful that we were able to send the message that we won’t accept a nuclear test.”

The North Korean issue has cast a shadow over Abe’s visit to China, his first foreign trip since becoming prime minister two weeks ago. He is due to travel to Seoul on Monday for talks with South Korean President Roh Moo-Hyun.

meanwhile, things on the peninsula haven’t been quiet lately...

South Korean troops have fired warning shots at soldiers from the North amid rising tension over North Korean plans to test a nuclear weapon. Early reports suggest that about 40 shots were fired when soldiers crossed into the demilitarized zone.

What the consequences of this test will be, only the future can tell but there are several nations who could find themselves quickly members of the nuclear club as a result - Japan, Taiwan and South Korea. Also what implications this will have on the situation regarding Iran and the enrichment of Uranium after the failed six party talks

.Any test would cause extreme concern in the region and might in due course propel both South Korea and Japan to go down the nuclear weapons route themselves.

This is going to be a big deal in the coming weeks. Hold your breath.

North Korea’s announcement that it has tested a nuclear bomb is set to push Japan to expand its own military and stir debate on what was once the ultimate taboo of developing atomic weapons itself.
The test comes as Japan gradually expands its defense posture, 60 years after it was defeated in World War II and forced by the United States to renounce the right to a military.

Way, way ahead of their time.

I came across this after a brief search. You know something.... I love this!

First off, I think it gives anything out there now a go for it’s money musically and imagery wise it holds up and is way entertaining. Amazing given the fact it’s 20 years old! Bonus points if you can name the film this was featured in:

What does it say?

Yesterday, there were three games on - St Louis vs San Diego, Yankees vs Detroit and then the Mets vs LA. All the games were exciting and truth be told I love having a ballgame on in the background - nothing beats a nice day and a game on to listen to. Three games in a row - it’s like heaven! Not only that - even though I hate the FOX broadcast (crappy booth) whenever I hear ESPN’s opening theme for baseball I just get that warm glow and ESPN was the one to lead off the day.

Big gaff moment of the day - the announcers on FOX having to apologize to a man they made fun of during the Mets Thursday broadcast. Yes, the director managed to scope in on a particular fan during the game who was wearing what looked like the equivalent of those night vision googles the troops wear during nighttime exercises. What followed was a bunch of jokes at the guys expense by the broadcasters on FOX. Turns out the guy has season tickets, is a longtime Mets fan and has only about 15% of his vision which is why he was wearing the gear so he could enjoy the game!

Say it isn’t so, Joe!

Any Mets fan will tell you not to count the hated Yankees out even when their backs are against the wall - particularly when that’s the case. However, the Mets nation stands back and watches Kenny Rogers pitch the game he pitched last night and there is an amount of guilty pleasure derived from witnessing the mighty Yankees being humbled.

The Yankees are a great team, there’s just no mistaking it and every baseball fan has to give them their due and acknowledge the wealth of future hall of famers on the team. As a Mets fan, I respect the Yankees.

Hell, I was a Yankee fan for a long time and there are still a couple of guys on that team from those days (a tip of the hat to Bernie who followed Roberto - don’t call me Bobby - Kelly). Mariano came up when I was still a Yankee fan and Jeter did too that last year. There’s also no question for me that New Yorkers are privileged in watching Jeter play - he really is one of the greats.

But... and this is a big one.

The Yankees lost their compass at some point. See what separated those teams of the late 90’s from today’s group is that the team was greater than the sum of it’s parts. Yeah, they had some great players but, it was the way the players performed as a team that made all the difference in the world. Since the Yankees faced the Mets in 2000, it has seemed as if the team’s direction has been more about going out and getting the biggest free agent on the market during each off season rather than building a team.

Let’s throw some names out and see if Yankee fans aren’t nodding in agreement: Chad Curtis, Scott Brosius, Tino Martinez, Ramiro Medoza, Paul O’Neill, Joe Girardi, Luis Sojo, Jim Leyritz, Tim Raines, Chili Davis, Mike Stanton - all players who were part of those Yankee teams of the late 90’s that was so successful.

Since 2001 the Yankees have signed the following players as free agents: Mike Mussina, Jason Giambi, Steve Karsay, Chris Hammond, Felix Heredia, Gary Sheffield, Carl Pavano, Tony Womack, Jared Wright, Kyle Farnsworth and if you talk about the trades like the ones they made for Randy Johnson, Alex Rodriguez and others sending away El Duque, Alfonso Soriano just to name a few should make any Yankee fan sick.

Today the entire Yankee season rest on the arm of Jared Wright and if I was a Yankee fan I would be worried. To add to the irony of the game, the pitcher the Yankees will be facing plays for Detroit because of the Yankees! Check this out:

July 5, 2002

As part of a 3-team trade, traded Ted Lilly, John-Ford Griffin, and Jason Arnold (minors) to the Oakland Athletics. Received Jeff Weaver from the Detroit Tigers. In addition, the Oakland Athletics sent a player to be named later, Carlos Pena, and Franklyn German to the Detroit Tigers and the Detroit Tigers sent cash to the Oakland Athletics. The Oakland Athletics sent Jeremy Bonderman (August 22, 2002) to the Detroit Tigers to complete the trade.

Yes, today‘s starting pitcher Jeremy Bonderman was part of the trade the Yankees made to get Jeff Weaver a guy they just had to have! Jeff Weaver turned into Kevin Brown - whereupon Weaver went on to win 27 games over the next two seasons for the Dodgers. Brown, well I think Yankee fans remember Brown more for his back than for his pitching.

Let’s just say this though - if the Yankees lose today it should be one of the most interesting off-seasons for the Yankees in a long time. Hopefully, they’ll stop going out and buying the biggest ticket free-agent and go back to building a team like they did before.

Wait, what am I saying?!?! Let ’em keep doing what they’re doing, why spoil the fun.

Cat facts.

Some things I’ve noticed in regard to the cat...

• My cat is so comfortable with me, I can hold her head while sticking my finger into the corner of her eye to get at the crusted up sleep schmutz that accumulates there. Not only does she let me do this (which sounds somewhat disgusting) but, she will purr through the whole process acknowledging I am doing something for her own good!


• If I could take the cat to work with me, I would. Not only that, I would most likely enjoy my days a lot more and wouldn’t mind being at work those long hours because I had her company.


• While she seems incredible smart, she can still seem incredibly stupid at times or maybe it’s just plain willfulness! (Kitty missed the litter box!?!?)


• Crazy time (cat owners recognize this as those moments when the cat suddenly starts darting around the house for no explainable reason) seems to coincide with the advent of a good dump. Perhaps meaning it is kitty’s way of celebrating her regularity or just feeling a bit of energy because she is lighter.


• Cats will do just about anything for a small dollop of whip cream.


• Once they get used to the infrequent dollop of whip cream they will always greet your arrival at the refrigerator door with an expectant look if they are in the general vicinity.


• As the weather gets colder, laps become more and more attractive to cats.


• Kitty knows when it is bedtime and will announce the fact by coming over and letting you know - waiting for you to get up and go down to bed whereupon she will be sure to join you in a warm communal nap.

So much to say,

So little time to say it - just far too busy working my way down the ever changing list and trying to keep afloat doing the homework for Japanese class.

What better way to start the week?

Than with a little humor. Enjoy an episode of Robot Chicken via YouTube:

Color me totally unconcerned.

This little news item caught my eye:

Ohio car dealership blasted for jihad ad, Sun Sep 24, 5:51 AM ET

COLUMBUS, Ohio - A car dealership’s planned radio advertisement that declared “a jihad on the automotive market” has drawn sharp criticism for its content but will not be changed, the business said Saturday.

Several stations rejected the Dennis Mitsubishi spot, which says sales representatives wearing “burqas” — head-to-toe traditional dress for Islamic women — will sell vehicles that can “comfortably seat 12 jihadists in the back.”

“Our prices are lower than the evildoers’ every day. Just ask the pope!” the ad says. “Friday is fatwa Friday, with free rubber swords for the kiddies.” A fatwa is a religious edict...

...The Columbus chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations decried the ad as disrespectful.

“Using that as a promotional pitch when so many are dying from the criminal activity of suicide bombers, that’s not funny,” chapter president Asma Mobin-Uddin said. “I don’t think it’s appropriate when it causes real pain. It exploits or promotes misunderstanding in terms already misunderstood or misused.”

Hey, f*ckhead, LISTEN UP!

If guys are dying and suffering from being suicide bombers there’s an easy way to correct it. STOP BLOWING YOURSELVES THE F*CK UP!

Disrespectful Asma?

Well, considering I see and endless stream of images of my nation’s flag being burned and trounced on, I see effigies of my faith’s temporal leader being burned, I witness my faith’s houses of worship being torched and destroyed throughout the Islamic world and a litany of other instances of insensitivity and disregard for the beliefs and tenets I and others adhere to... well, you’ll just have to pardon me if I don’t share your dismay.

Yes, it’s righteous indignation by the very same people who burned down embassies over a bunch of cartoons.

Before we blame our own government.

There has a lot of Sturm und Drang over our foreign policy of the last several years. The ‘War on Terrorism’ (which should be referred to as WOT?) has us in both Afghanistan and Iraq. There was a lot of opposition to us entering Iraq (not so much as I remember with Afghanistan). Lately, we’ve been hearing drumbeats about Iran - the country the would be the meat in our veritable sh*t sandwich.

I’m of two minds on this.

First off, I recognize that there is a flourishing young population of Iranians who are not entirely connected to their governments’ policies. These are people I wish we could find a way to reach out to, sincerely because I do not bear them malice and I don’t feel in any way that these are people who would be our enemies.

Second, I cannot deny the regime which runs the nation of Iran is not necessarily a stabilizing force in the Southwestern Asia and ultimately we are going to have to deal with the issue of this conservative government whether we like to or not.

In the last several weeks, I was surprised when the topic of Iran came up during the course of casual conversation, the people I was discussing the topic with were convinced the current administration would take some form of overt action to resolve the current issue of nuclear technology and possible weapons development in the Iranian nation. The most common view espoused was the administration would at some point deal with the issue by bombing or taking some other covert action to destroy those facilities within Iran necessary for the nation to realize its goals.

To say there are many our own country who would find this solution totally unacceptable is an understatement. We as a nation are not built for the long haul. We have the attention and commitment of fruit flies at times and the media f our land is proof in this in the way news shows are packaged to bring forth the crisis du-jour in order to generate excitement and ratings. I really wish it were different but, it’s what our nation has become.

We are media babies, weaned on reality tv, daytime fare like Jerry Springer, Oprah or the People’s Court. Sucked into things more for the spectacle than anything else. Our political races have become the modern day equivalent of beauty contests as witnessed by the telegenic factor of our candidates (I really couldn’t imagine a Lyndon Johnson, Richard Nixon or Dwight D Eisenhower being elected today as they were all so unflatteringly unpleasing in visage).

So, before our backs get up over what we may do, I bring to your attention this latest column by Nat Hentoff. Hentoff could hardly be called a fan of the administration but, take the time out to read about the people which our leaders would have us stand in opposition to and ask yourself if by continuing to turn a blind eye we are not enabling such transgressions?

June 29, 2006, a court in the Islamic Republic of Iran sentenced Malak Ghorbany, a 34-year-old mother of two, to a brutal death by stoning after finding her guilty of adultery… Two men who were found guilty of murder in the same court were only given jail sentences of six years… The size of the stones used during the execution are required to be…. not so large that they would kill a woman too quickly, nor so small that they would fail to cause serious injury or pain .

The Way Forward that’s a tremendous step back.

There was an interesting article in yesterday’s NY Post.

It’s interesting in as much as the Post would easily be considered the most conservative of New York’s newspapers in its editorial outlook. Staunchly conservative, pro-Republican, pro-business - just another part of Rupert Murdock’s enormous media empire that includes other conservative media outlets like Fox.

So then, what are we to make of the following article about changes going on at the nation’s second largest automaker?

I always have adhered to the premise our nation’s political climate is akin to a pendulum swinging between the two poles of the liberal and conservative agenda. When the it appears our nation is moving inexorably towards one extreme, the gravity that is the will of the people exerts itself to pull it back towards its opposite. I think our history bears this theory out as well. Witnessing the last decade and a half as the forces of globalization and a pro management environment I have waited patiently for the people of our nation to sit up and take notice.

The old saw is, “Everybody complains about the weather but, nobody does anything about it.” Everybody complains about their jobs these days, about work and the demands on people’s lives but, nothing in our society is changing. If anything a lot of folks would say it has changed, just for the worse.

My parents and grandparents were of a generation where people looked for a good job and expected to stay in one place for their career or a good portion thereof. Medical benefits were part of the package and the cost of those benefits was shouldered by the employer. Hell, people even had these radical things called pensions! Something that would supplement their income during their ultimate retirement. These days, it’s questionable if there will even be a Social Security system by the time I get to retirement age and even if it is there, it is increasingly doubtful it will be enough to survive on.

So again, what are we to make of it when the city’s most conservative paper runs the following article? Is it the beginning of the pendulum swinging back the other way?

FORD TO WORKER: JOB NONE
-Christopher Byron

...That is the context in which last week’s announcement from Ford should be seen. Ford is in trouble for the same reason General Motors is: Neither company has been able to design and build cars that consumers actually want to buy...

...Yet instead of addressing that core problem, the top managements of both companies have spent years and even decades blaming anyone but themselves - the environmentalists, the Japanese, the Europeans and most of all the unions - for failures that are ultimately management’s alone...

...In January, the company unfurled its so-called “Way Forward” program. Its goal: to trim 30,000 blue-collar workers from Ford’s North American payroll by 2012 through a combination of attrition, firings and a kind of tin parachute buyout program...

...Last week Mulally gave his hearty endorsement to a plan, said to be in the works for months at the company, to outdo even GM and pull forward the cost-cutting goals from 2012 to 2008 instead...

...The tactic to achieve this? A veiled threat from the company to fire every blue-collar worker in the U.S. who didn’t quit first...

...The company said last week that it now plans to cut $5 billion in operating costs from its consolidated worldwide income statement over the next two years by offering go-away buyouts of up to $140,000 per person to all 75,000 unionized workers in the U.S. who are willing to quit the company and leave behind their retiree health plans on their way out the door...

...But they’re missing the big picture, for this is the 21st century, not the 20th, and though Ford’s corporate charter may remain in Delaware, and its headquarters in Dearborn, the heart and soul of this company has now joined those of other companies like it, destined to wander the earth forever, in search of any place to call home where the most workers can be hired for the least.

This is an abridged version of the article, if you want to read it in its entirety, click on it but if you find your having problems just look at the comments for this entry.

The Wolfe on the prowl.

Man, I tell you that cropping a photo can be a good thing sometimes. This is Ed the Wolfeman up on a sunny day in the park:

Get your representative to sign.

If you can.

There is a campaign by the people of the Sunlight Network, in essence it’s an attempt to make the people we elect to represent us in Washington accountable to us the very same way we all are accountable in our daily jobs. This is definitely a good thing, we as citizens need to know the kind of job our elected officials are doing. The taxpayers of our nation, the voters are the ones who have put these people in place to represent their best interest. It’s important for us to be able to keep tabs on a legislators’ movements and meetings if we can properly assess their job performace. It’s exactly what the Punch Clock Agreement was meant to do and it’s exactly why you should download a copy and send it via registered mail to the office of your electde officials to make sure they get, sign it and do it!

Starting with the next Congress, I promise to publish my daily official work schedule on the Internet, within 24 hours of the end of every work day. I will include all matters relating to my role as a Member of Congress. I will include all meetings with constituents, other Members, and lobbyists, listed by name. (In rare cases I will withhold the names of constituents whose privacy must be protected.) I will also include all fundraising events. Events will be listed whether Congress is in session or not, and whether I am in Washington, traveling, or in my district.

Who knew Pittsburgh was so important.

The last several years Pirates fans have suffered, oh how they have suffered. Even though they got a new stadium and hosted and All-Star game, they suffered now through many, many seasons of lackluster performance by their hometown heroes.

This year is different though - not so much because the Pirates are a great team - today their record is 61 wins and 86 losses and they are way, way back in their division. Still even with that record the Pirates have a lot to say about what happens at the end of the season this year. Not so much for their own fate but, for the fate of others.

Between now and the end of the season, a mere two weeks away, many of the teams who aspire to get to the post season will have the Pirates as an obstacle to get there. Should be a piece of cake, no? Well, at this point in September the Pirates have a record of 8 wins and 6 losses for the month. The Mets, Dodgers, San Diego Padres, Astros and Cincinnati all play the Pirates between now and the end of the season. While it’s a foregone conclusion for the Mets at this point, San Diego and the Dodgers are in a dog fight for the Western Division lead. Both teams have a fallback in the wildcard but, the Pirates playing tough could alter that in a big way. Cincinnati is a long shot in the wild card as well but, if either the Dodgers or the Padres go on a prolong losing streak (or Cincinnati gets hot) they have as much chance over the next two weeks as these other teams do.

So, let‘s hear it for the Pirates - doormat of the central they may have been for the last few years but, this year they can play the role of spoiler quite well!

Friday cat blogging.

A tradition which I have been terribly remiss in. This week Anna shows why ordering books from Amazon.com can have ancillary benefits for the kitty of the house. Nothing is so perfect a size for her tiny little form than her new kitty fortress.

I’m leaving on a jet plane.

Or how the flying ban after September 11th turned out as a way to fight the flu.

During the first five flu seasons, flu deaths peaked on or around February 17. But in 2002 the peak was delayed by two weeks, until March 2. In the years that followed, the peak moved back to February, they wrote in the online journal Public Library of Science-Medicine.

And during the 2001-2002 flu season, it took 53 days for flu to spread across the United States, 60 percent longer than the average time of 33 days.

Seems like researchers have found a new weapon to control the spread of disease but, can you imagine the outcry if they actually attempted to use it?

Anybody else notice?

How the weather today is a mirror image of the kind of day it was five years ago?

Unity Walk - sounds like a nice way to commemorate the anniversary.

Can’t say if there’s an agenda one way or the other but, I thought I would pass this along for those who were interested:

Religions for Peace-USA has agreed to join partners in Washington, DC for a Unity Walk to honor the significance of this day in American history. Save the evening of Monday September 11th. The New York Unity Walk begins at 5:00 PM at the Gandhi Memorial in Union Square Park.

RFP-USA will be working with New York City partner agencies to sponsor the walk from Union Square’s Gandhi memorial to the World Trade Center Site to Pier 40 for a Floating Lantern Ceremony. The effort is to promote interfaith appreciation and understanding. Please contact Katherine Clark, office: 212-338-9140

Somehow, I think an event based on the premise of greater understanding and acceptance of each other’s faith, on the anniversary of something rooted in intolerance, is the proper way and intelligent way to combat those forces and insure another a similar tragedy won’t take place.