April 6, 2004

Hello hello!


    For the past 7 years, I lived the life of the average American. Up at 7, to work at 9, off at 5:30, in bed
by 11:30, repeated 5 days a week. Friday night till Monday morning was dedicated to recharging the
batteries and kicking back with a cocktail or two. The weekend was for doing things I couldn't do during
the week. I mean the thought of being out till 4AM on a Thursday night would have been absurd these
past 7 years.
Of course those days are over.
    Last Thursday was my second day off in the past 21 days. I spent that evening playing poker with
some of the guys from work. Now my poker skills are not very good, but I did manage to win a few
hands before reverting to my typical losing form, losing all of my allotted gambling money. The
important thing was that it built unity and morale between me and my new coworkers. The best part was
that at 2:30AM Friday morning, we were still trying to figure out where to go to do some more boozing. I
ended up getting home just around the time most of my friends were getting up for work, it was like
being back in college, without feeling guilty about my poor grades.
      Saturday night was Perry Chairmonte's birthday party. I didn't get out of work till 2AM, so I got a late
start, but we ended up at Croxley's Ale House. Billy Gorta, who sent me on my first story and Zach
Haberman, who helped me write it were there, along with my fellow poker players, Mark, Perry, Hasani
and John. Erik, Erin and Tatiana rounded out the party.
    We stayed at Croxley's only for a bit. When they turned the clocks ahead it was 4 AM, so they tossed
us out. Luckily we got a call from our coworker Jen Fermino, who told us that Delia's a bar around the
corner, was still observing Eastern Standard Time, so we met her and her pals from Boston over there.
We stayed there till they tossed us out at 4 (or 5 EDT). I was shot so I headed home, but I found out that
the party raged on for most of the morning. Even at 6:30PM Sunday night, there were some hurtin
people, putting out America's greatest newspaper.  

News Item: Liberals Launch a new Network

    An all new liberal radio network Air America, took to the airwaves this week. I haven't listened to it, nor
do I plan too, because I have no use for many of it's hosts. Specifically Al Franken and Jeanine
Gorofalo. At one time they were both very funny and highly entertaining. Franken's work on SNL belongs
in the comedy hall of fame. But I have no use for them as social commentators. What makes them
experts at anything?
     My biggest problem with this new network is that it seems to be targeting more the conservative
media rather than Conservative Politicians. I mean, according to these people, Bill O'Reilly is a bigger
threat to society than George W. Bush, not to mention, Saddam Hussein and Osama Bin-Laden. Franken
makes no secret of his target (he calls his show the O'Franken Factor) and despite the fact that he
mocks Fox's Fair and Balanced motto, his views are far from balanced.
     I saw some of the ads for the new network in Grand Central the other night and I saw one mocking
Dennis Miller saying "at least he knew something about football" Dennis Miller is not even a classic
conservative. He just happened to support the war in Iraq, so now he is a part of the dark side. They may
live to regret targeting him. He's only one of the smartest and funniest people in America. He'll find a way
to put these liberals in their place.
    And you know something, the real shame of it is that if done right, this station could do some good. If
it could present some fresh ideas and alternatives to politics as usual, and doesn't go so far to the left,
it could be revolutionary. But I'm not to hopeful, I see this being strictly a Bill O'Reilly/Rush Limbaugh
rebuttal network.

YOU WANT FAIR AND BALANCED? WELL YOU JUST READ AS I BASHED THE LEFT, NOW IT'S TIME
TO RIP THE RIGHT

    The pictures that came back last week from Fallujah, Iraq were some of the most disturbing I have
ever seen. And this time I made sure to watch every detail, no matter how much it pissed me off or made
me regret supporting the war at first, I watched. I watched because I remember the first time watching
Black Hawk Down and remembering what happened in Somalia and wondering why I wasn't more upset
in 1993. Probably because I just turned off the TV and went to Peggy Gordon's with Karl and Ray.
    But the scenes in Fallujah, which bore horrifying resemblance's to the tragedy in Somalia, I'll never let
myself forget. And, the blame goes right to the President. I'll give props to Auggie on this one. The
Iraqi's, he pointed out, should be more involved in rebuilding the country, rather than having American
civilians over there getting shot at. Now I know that the four men who were killed last week had military
backgrounds, but they were there as civilians. As far as I know (and I could be wrong) they were
unarmed. Bush gave all these big American companies the big contracts. So the fat cats collect the
government money back here, and these poor guys put their lives on the line over there. Last week it
cost 4 lives.
    Now the US is promising retaliation. Seems like this place Fallujah is a particular hot spot. So my plan
is similar to President Clinton's plan in Somalia. Pull all the Americans out of there.
Then blow it to kingdom come.
Just in case they think we're f-cking around.

NOW FOR THE REAL IMPORTANT STUFF.

Baseball 2004

     A hot dog at the ball park is better than steak at the Ritz.
--Humphrey Bogart

Baseball is religion without the mischief."
-- Thomas Boswell

Source: http://home.att.net/~quotesabout/baseball.html

PREDICTIONS
NL EAST

1) Phillies: Finally have a bullpen
2) Braves: Won't wait till October to choke this year
3) Mets: Defense up the middle will get them back to .500
4) Marlins: Armando Benitez is their closer. Need I say more?
5) Expos: If in the right hands, this team could contend

NL CENTRAL

1) Cubs: In spite of Dusty they'll win again
2) Astros:With dirtbags Kent and Clemens,should be renamed ASStros
3) Cardinals: Pujols not enough to carry St. Loo
4) Pirates: I hear their ballpark is nice
5) Reds: That Ken Griffey Jr. trade really worked out huh?
6) Brewers: Biggest disgrace in baseball

NL WEST

1) Giants: They will choke again come playoff time
2) Dodgers: The hitless wonders
3) D-Backs: Will struggle for .500
4) Padres: They say they've improved, we'll see
5) Rockies: Still have no clue

AL EAST

1)Yankees- Won't be as easy as people think
2)Red Sox: Francona won't be able to hold it together
3)Orioles: Will be better
4)Blue Jays: Could surprise
5)Devil Rays: Should be contracted

AL CENTRAL

1)Royals: I always liked Tony Pena
2)Twins: Loss of pitching will hurt
3)White Sox: Let me down last year
4)Indians: Still suffering a 90's hangover
5)Tigers: If they win 20 more games this year, they still lose 99 games

AL WEST

1)A's: Still the undisputed champ out here
2)Angels: Will need time to jell
3)Mariners: A tough out every year
4 Rangers: not even Buck Showalter can save these jackoffs.

AL PLAYOFFS

Red Sox over Royals
Yankees over A's
yankees over red sox

NL PLAYOFFS

Phillies over Cubs
Astros over Giants
Astros over Phillies

The Astros will take a 3-2 World Series lead back to Yankee Stadium. Roger Clemens will say that game
6 will be his last. The Yanks will spank Roger Clemens around, then proceed to lose to Andy Pettite in
game 7

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**
Last week here in Woodside was a tough one. One of the best people in this community, Dennis Leahy
passed away from cancer. The term "nicest guy in the world" gets tossed around an awful lot, but it fit
Dennis like a glove. Both his wake and funeral mass were jam packed, a testament to how many people
he touched. It would take me a month to tell about all the times he made me smile, but after listening to
his daughter Meagan's eulogy about his perpetual optimism, I offer one of my favorites.
    Starting in 8th grade I spent almost every New Year's Eve at the Ludwig's house. Dennis and Delia
would come over and we'd all watch the ball drop. One year, I think I was about 15, Dennis started yelling
"This is going to be our year baby! Our Year!" I couldn't help but laugh at how he kept saying that.
    Years went by and we started hitting bars and clubs and stuff for New Year's Eve, but a couple of
years ago, we ended up back at Ludwig's. This time we were all in our mid to late 20's, Ray and Maureen
were married, Auggie and Mary were due to wed in a few months and Karl and Trish were a steady
couple. Dennis came in right before the ball dropped. As soon as it did, I had to ask him "Hey Dennis is
this going to be our year?" His response
"Every year's our year partner"
    And as I heard Meagan talk about his humble beginnings, how he constantly told Delia how he had the
best wife and Craig and Meagan how they were the best kids and how he talked about how lucky he was
to have such a wonderful family and such good friends, I finally realized what he was talking
about. Every year was his year because he made it that way. Through faith, through hope and through
love.
We were all better for knowing him, and poorer for having lost him.

We're gaining a new member of the dirty 30 club this week. Recently engaged Mary McGrath hits the
magic number on Saturday. My sister Kristin, who has a couple years of happiness left, celebrates her
birthday Sunday. Happy happy to both!

Everyone else, hang in there and have a great week
Wild Bill