Image Is Everything

No new insight here, regarding tonight's debate, but I'll give my two cents. I really tried to watch tonight's debate through the eyes of a swing voter, which is hard to do since I am not one. But, I tried to view Bush as an earnest, warm, straightshooter, just as Rove Inc. has sculpted him.

But I still think Kerry won this one going away. And this has nothing to do with soundbites, or if bilateral negotiations with North Korea is a bad idea, or if Poland was indeed part of the Coalition of the Willing or whatever the hell it is that's trudging throught the Quagmire of Iraq right now.

Kerry's victory (in my opinion) has everything to do with image. Kerry, to me, looked cool and collected. Bush was fidgety and defensive. Four years ago, I thought Gore verbally destroyed Bush, but I thought Bush still came out the winner. "Fuzzy math" was a veiled stroke of genius. Image is everything.

So overall, I think Kerry should gain some momentum tonight, but he needs to max out the next two debates to have a chance on November 2.

Normally I find Tim Russert annoying but he was on the money tonight. He said no one really gained or lost ground as much as both candidates simply solidified their base. Take, well, me, for example. For the first time I really feel like I can support the 2004 version of John Kerry. Who knows, maybe hope is actually on the way.

Speaking of propopanda, how tiring was it to here the same phrases over and over from both candidates? For every "hard work" phrase spewed by Bush there was an "I can do better" coming from Kerry. Cripes. They might as well have had a chanting contest tonight. Bush could have chanted "Four legs good. Two legs better!" while Kerry chanted "doubleplusgood!!" And whoever chanted the loudest would have been dubbed the winner.

Forty Hectares and a Mule (and $7,000,000)

An abandoned mining town in British Columbia is for sale, complete with two rec centers, a hospital, and houses. Now all it needs is some residents.

So what is 5% of 7,000,000? I am trying to figure out the APR to see if this is a viable option for Emily and me. The expected selling price is expected to be in the 7 million dollar range.

Let's see... we have about seven months worth of equity in our house, I am refinishing the deck, and Emily just put up new blinds. Any chance we can parlay all that into the town of Kitsault?

Click here for the story.

Story of My Weekend

This ( click here) was fun. But it yields little to no long-term benefit to my life.

This ( click here) was not fun, even though it will yield long-term benefits in my life.

By the way, I am about 75% of the way through brightening the deck. Then I have to waterproof it. Kickball lasts about two months.

It will be close, but which will end first: my deck project or the kickball season? And for all people married to me who read this, don't worry that was a joke. The deck project should win by five to six weeks.

Another Boring Baseball Post

Johan Santana is good. Really good. But it's easy to say that since he's red hot right now (he's won 12 straight and hasn't given up a run in 30 innings). Still, he has some of the nastiest stuff I have ever seen.

I'm not a big conspiracy guy. I think Oswald killed JFK all by his lonesome little self and (this is a big admission, since I love to argue otherwise), I don't believe the government staged the lunar landing back in the 60s.

But I do believe in the East Coast Media Bias/Conspiracy. NO QUESTIONS ASKED, if Santana was wearing a Red Sox uniform, he'd be sure thing for the Cy Young.

But because Curt Schilling happens to play for Boston the media types, even here in Minnesota are saying Schilling might win the Cy Young. Sure Schilling got to 20 wins first, but that's the only stat he owns over Santana (who picked up his 19th win today).

Click here for Santana's stats, and here for Schilling's.

Santana leads the American League in strikeouts and is neck and neck for the best ERA and win total. My favorite stat is that he only has 49 walks to go with his 250+ strikeouts. Unless they're named "Randy Johnson" guys who throw over 250 strikeouts in a season typically do not have this much control; they're walk totals are a lot higher.

I am sure that Santana will win the Cy Young. My only issue is that other names from East Coast markets have to named as possible contenders to win. Santana is by far and away the best pitcher in the American League this year. There should be no discussion at all about who should win.

Mouthful of Earthly Delights

Over the past month, Emily and I made two important discoveries for our bellies:

1. Fast Eddie's Pizza In terms of the cost-benefit ratio, this place has the best pizza EVER. The crust is thin, the sauce is good, and the toppings are servicable. There are better places in the Twin Cities for delivery pizza (Lake Harriett Pizza, Pizza Luce, and Beaks to name three), but all those places run over $18 for a large pizza. Last night we got a large one topper, two pops, and cheese bread all for $16.00. They even let you use multiple coupons on one order.

Last night I went to pick up the pizza since Fast Eddie and his band of pizza makers are less than a mile from our house. I got to meet Fast Eddie in person. He certainly is fast, if you mean abrupt. Stressed Out Eddie is more like it. He had like three posters of Kevin Garnett, which accounted for like 80% of his wall space. I was tempted to give him shit about that and tell him how Tim Duncan is the man, but figured I'd wait until I'm in there on a weeknight, when Fast Eddie isn't Abrubt Eddie.

2. Kemps Cow Tracks Ice Cream Sandwiches This is some tasty ice cream. Emily knows my propensity to eat steel drums full of Cow Tracks Ice Cream in one sitting, and she's all about portion control. So it's safe to say I get some judgemental looks when I eat a bowl of soup for dinner and two bowls of ice cream for dessert.



Image from www.kemps.com.


Well, now cow tracks comes in an ice cream sandwich. A win-win situation for me and Emily. She gets her portion control and I get my ice cream (as long as I don't eat 12 bars in one sitting as I am wont to do).

The bad part is if you click here, you will sees these bars are only being sold for a limitrd time. The blessing in disguise is I can tell Emily I need to eat a box a day to artificially drive demand up so these bars become a part of the Kemps Ice Cream Arsenal.

If You Win, They Will Come

Emily and I went to the Twins game tonight and I can't tell you how much I love the Metrodome. The fact is, I love watching quality baseball and feel so fortunate that the Metrodome drives all the casual fans away leaving great seats available to jackasses like me who get excited by watching Carlos Silva use his change-up to get the White Sox to hit into a bunch of ground balls.

And the simple fact of the matter is the Twins pack the Dome when they win. And there is plenty of atmosphere when the place is packed. If you buy the whole the Mom and apple pie BS about baseball and feel it HAS to be outside, go to a freaking St. Paul Saints game and soak up the atmosphere. You'll have plenty of time to do so, since the game is four action packed hours 80 mph fastballs, 12 errors, and a bunch of Punch and Judy singles.

Anyway, I cannot believe how incredibly well the Twins are playing. They are over 10 games up on the White Sox with their starting catcher out since the start of the season and half their starting infield on the bench nursing injuries. They've kicked the shit out of the White Sox both tonight and last night with something called Augie Ojeda starting at second base.

I truly believe the Twins have a shot to make it to the World Series. I had the same feeling about the San Antonio Spurs in 1999 and 2003 and look what happened (of course I also felt the same way about the Spurs in 1990, but that season didn't end as well).

This is one damn good team. Santana and Radke is one of the best back-to-back pitching duos not wearing an A's, Yankees, or Braves uniform that I've ever seen. Justin Morneau gives the team the power hitter they've always needed. Their fundamentals are solid. For the first time since I've lived here, they finally have consistent timely hitting (another reason it's easy to forget all about Doug Mientkiewicz).

But what makes this talented team a great team is the fact that they play harder (or as hard) as any team in pro baseball, from the stars like Radke and Hunter, to the scrubs like Augie Ojeda. It's pretty neat to watch, and I always feel like I got my money's worth. I can think of plenty of Spurs games I've been to where this wasn't the case. I love the Spurs, but I've seen them take nights off from time to time. I can't say the same thing about the 2004 Twins.

WIN TWINS!!!!

Do Mess With Texas (Please)

As I posted earlier, $250.00 is too rich for my blood to sit next to Gary Eichten at next season's Twins home opener (actually, I'm still kicking myself for not having the funds to make that bid). So the question is, how much would you be willing to pay to see Tom Delay face the House ethics committee next week? No word from St. Hedwig, Texas yet, but I bet I have a certain family member down there who'd pay $250.00 faster than you can say "Exterminator" if he knew Delay was going to finally meet a giant can of Raid.

Click here for the story.

Meet my New Training Partner

I have incidentally, if not accidentally, lost over ten pounds since mid-July. And I attriubute 80% of this welcomed shrinkage in waist size to what you see below.



And this post is as close as I'll ever come to being an Epidemiologist, like Emily. But I am now sold on the small changes you can make in your life that can lead to big improvement.

In my case, I now walk Poncho on a nightly basis for anywhere between two and three miles. If I didn't have a dog who loves the great outdoors, this hour and a half that I spend with him would be spent in much more on-my-ass, chips/cookies-in-hand fashion.

The other change that has helped is we keep all our beer in a fridge in the garage. So, now my laziness is a tool! I'm too freaking lazy to go grab a beer at night. Now I just drink water at dinner instead.

After spending the last 15 years of my life with a mindset that the only way I could stay fit was to train like I did when I was in college, I have now happily discovered that simple things like walking the dog or riding my bike to work have a lot of value I have never appreciated before.

Of course, I still have aspirations of getting my running form back to a competetive level. Old habits and goals die hard, no matter how unattainable they are.

One Last State Fair Posting

Insert your own caption; there's too many corny possibilities to choose from.

For Those Who Love MPR and MDN Equally

MDN is me, by the way and MPR is Minnesota Public Radio. Speaking of me, it is safe to say that the Minnesota Twins are one of my favorite things about Minnesota.

What else do I love about Minnesota? Midday with Gary Eichten of course!!!

Well, Minnnesota Public Radio is having an on-line auction. There's tons of trips, merchandise, and gift certificates up for grabs, and a lot of them are worth bidding. And maybe it's a bit narcissistic of me to think this, but I'll be damned if MPR didn't design an event for auction with me in mind. Well, at least designed for someone exactly like me, only with an extra $250.00 of disposable income.

Click here and see for yourself (or read some of the text I from the MPR page I cut and paste below).

Twins Opening Day with "Midday" Host Gary Eichten
and "Midday" Sports Commentator Howard Sinker

The winning bidder and a guest will join "Midday" host Gary Eichten and "Midday's" own Sports Commentator, Howard Sinker, for the Twins' 2005 home opener in lower deck reserved seats.

At this point, the date has not been announced and we don't even know if it's a day or night game, but we do know that you will be there for it! You know the great rapport Gary and Howard have, and you know how they both truly love the game of baseball, and now you'll be able to join right with them. (They might even sing a chorus of "Take Me Out To the Ballgame"

And the craziest part is, as of the writing of this post, no one has placed a bid on this magical event!

PAY ATTENTION TO ME!! LOOK AT ME! I'M ON THE WEB!!

Emily has uploaded a few photos to her webspace at the University of Minnesota. So now, in the ultimate act of "CHECK ME OUT!!" I am going to post pictures of myself. I'd post pictures of other people, but I haven't asked anyone if that's okay. Until then, you're stuck with my ugly mug. Like this one: me at the State Fair eating something on a stick. Well, it's supposed to be a reuben sandwich on a stick, but if you read Emily's blog you know that "reuben on a stick" is just a name. It tasted more like processed food product on a stick.



By the way, we are returning to the fair tomorrow night to see Los Lobos. It's free after we've paid the fee to get into the fair.

Poncho's Best Friend

I'm not naive enough to think it's me he loves. That nappy tennis ball in my hand is his object of affection. Emily and I debate as to whether or not Ponho or any dog can love and bond with us. I say "nope." He sure as hell bonds with the shelter, food, and security we give him, but that's about it.

Regardless, here is a couple of pictures of a dog and guy who spends a lot of time in the dog house.

Minnesota 1, Indiana 0

We have more First Trumpeter munchkins at our state fair.

Some friends were visiting in town and we took them to the Minnesota State Fair. One of my friends is famous for his small bladder and went underneath the grandstand to find a bathroom. Along the way, he stumbled across a booth with Karl Slover, who as we all know is famous for playing the First Trumpeter in Wizard of Oz.

So my friend never did use the restroom as he got too distracted with the chance to talk to an 85 year-old midget. When my friend asked Slover's authograph he was told Slover would be happy to sign a framed picture of himself he was selling for $20.00.

My friend came back without having used the bathroom, without an autographed photo of Karl Slover and $20 to spend on mini donuts.



Image from www.teddwebb.com


Anyway, it seems like we're a little friendlier to the the little people up here in Minnesota compared to the other states of of the Midwest.

link
From the Minneapolis Star-Tribune

Munchkin who appeared at State Fair 'disinvited' from Indiana event
September 1, 2004

CHESTERTON, Ind. -- Two top Munchkins won't be taking the Yellow Brick Road to Chesterton's annual Oz Festival this month because of a contract dispute.

Jerry Maren, who played the Lollipop Kid in ``The Wizard of Oz,'' and Karl Slover, who played the First Trumpeter in the 1939 musical, have been regular attendees at past festivals in the town about 15 miles east of Gary. Maren appeared this week at the Minnesota State Fair.
But the two former Munchkins were ``disinvited'' this year following a flap over their agent's request that organizers pay his travel expenses, said Karen Spallina, president of Lakeshore Festival and Events.

Two other former Munchkins - Margaret Pellegrini and Clarence Swensen - still are scheduled to attend the Sept. 17-19 festival.

In the past, organizers have dealt directly with the former Munchkins, Spallina said. But this year Maren and Slover referred her to their agent, Ralph Zellem.

Former Munchkins receive $750 for their weekend visit, plus paid airfare, hotel and meals, Spallina said.

However, Zellem wanted organizers to pay his expenses as Slover's traveling companion and allow him to set up a booth to sell Munchkin merchandise, said Spallina, who refused both requests.
The festival traditionally has paid for Munchkins' traveling companions, but has a policy against including promoters, she said.

``This is a festival for the Munchkins,'' Spallina said. ``We want to keep our focus on that.''