Paul’s whereIstand Blog

Bearing Interleague Play

It seems interleague baseball gets earlier every year.  All ready this weekend, the two leagues are opposing each other just six weeks or so into the season.

Yes, I have stated before that I dislike interleague play, but I know it is here to stay.  So I just need to grin and bear it each season.

The two leagues have been facing each other for quite a while now, but the games still have an exhibition feel to them for me.  I know they count in the standings, but it just doesn’t seem like they do.

I still think it cheapens the World Series in a way.  There used to be a mystery to the World Series wondering how one league would far against the other.  And since the two teams would not have challenged each other (except possibility in spring training), there was a sense of freshness in the matchup.  Now if they played each other doing the regular season, its feels like another series.

Has interleague play helped Major League Baseball?  In terms of attendance and revenue, it has been a plus.  And for those reasons alone, we will never see the end of interleague.

So you can have your Mets-Yankees, Cubs-White Sox and Dodgers-Angels matchups.  I’ll just wait for the long-standing, league rivalry games. 

whereIstand Tags

• NYY
• NewYorkMets
• ChicagoCubs
• ChicagoWhiteSox
• Should Major League Baseball have interleague play?

Please tell me that the California Supreme Court’s ruling yesterday to allow gay marriage is a joke.  Please allow me to wake up from a bad dream and inform me that everything is going to be okay.

When I consider the potential harm and disgusting nature of this ruling, I just want to shake my head.  If you want to burn your hands, just put them on a hot stove.

I know
America is getting to become the nation of “If it feels good, do it.”  Many American don’t want any corporate restrictions or rules.  They just want to play the game and let things fly.

I have often stated my opposition to gay marriage at whereistand and have taken considerable heat for it.  People have said I want to force my religious beliefs on others.  Actually that’s not true, but people want to believe it.

As I have stated before, marriage is not a man-made institution but one  God declared early in the history of the world.  He brought together Adam and Eve in the family way, not Adam and Steve.  God discusses his hatred of homosexuality in the Bible and it must grieve him to ponder what is going on in our country.

Make no mistake about it, this gay marriage battle is a moral one. Gay marriage proponents cry loudly about equal rights and freedoms but always discount the moral issue.  Could it be that they know deep within themselves that gay marriage is wrong, but would rather acts on feelings not reason?

It is a really sad day in this country when people must fight hard for traditional marriage.  At one point in time, I believed a marriage amendment to the Constitution was not necessary.  But, I believe that way no longer.

So the battle continues and the stakes are high.  Our society is in difficult shape now, but if gay marriage becomes a firm, legal option, the fallout could be fatal.   

whereIstand Tags

• FamilyResearchCouncil
• FocusontheFamily
• FamilyValuesUSA
• Should marriage be defined as a union between one man and one woman?

John Edwards’ endorsement of Barack Obama yesterday helped cement the Illinois Senator in the top spot for the Democratic presidential nomination.  It was a definite blow to Hillary Clinton’s staying power in the race.

I blogged a while back of Edwards’ noticeable silence regarding the Democratic race.  It was like he was in hiding while Obama and Clinton battled on.  But his Obama announcement should help unify the Democratic Party.  I’m sure Obama craves Edwards’ supporters and hopes they will now move to the Obama camp. 

Edwards’ announcement tells the political world that he knows who the nominee will become.  Most of the Democrats, minus the
Clinton folks, realized that outcome already, but it doesn’t hurt when a leading Democratic puts his seal of approval on the process.

Clinton needed the Edward’s boost.  She needs lots of help these days as the clocks ticks down on her candidacy.  An Edward’s endorsement of
Clinton would have divided the party all the more and drag the race out further.  It might have provided short-term energy, but the
Clinton boat would eventually sink anyway.

So in simple terms, Edwards is backing the winner instead of the loser.  Edwards hopes this backing will result in a victory in November too.

At this point, the same cannot be said for
Clinton.  But just maybe, she will eventually come around too.

whereIstand Tags

• JohnEdwards
• BarackObama
• HillaryClinton
• Who will win the Democratic nomination for president in 2008?

Hilary Clinton easily took the
West Virginia primary yesterday.  But with all due respect to the major cable news networks, it was not big news.  My daily newspaper had the story well into the first section and only including 2-3 paragraphs at best.

Hilary’s campaign is really old news.  And it continues to get older as time moves forward.  The reason:  she is in second place and will remain in second place.  Although Hillary is not mathematically eliminated yet, the final blow will soon be here.  She needs to congratulation herself on a strong effort and give up the fight.

Her ‘I’m in the race for the duration” continues to haunt the Democratic Party.  It’s not hurting Hillary per say except for the money, but she needs to end the bid for the good of the Democratic Party.  When this campaign started many long months ago, the Democratic Presidential nominee seems like a slam dunk for the presidency.  But oh how things have changed.

With all the in-breed fighting in the Democratic race and the question whether
America will vote for a Black man, Republican nominee John McCain now becomes a formable foe.  McCain is probably quite happy with his prospects.

Thing about it.  We have had eight years of George Bush.  The war on
Iraq and the terrible economy has consumed American minds.  And McCain, who is seen in some circles as a second Bush-type, could come to victory through the front door.

Yes, the Democrats are in trouble.  Hillary can assist the turnaround by throwing her support to Barack Obama.

whereIstand Tags

• HillaryClinton
• BarackObama
• JohnMcCain
• Who will win the Democratic nomination for president in 2008?

With the summer season quickly approaching, many people will seek that much sought-after suntan.  Some will receive a great amount of sun and severely damage their skin.  All in the name of getting that ‘beautiful’ suntan.

I heard the other day that one sunburn even damages your skin.  This is sober news.  That right there shows the damaging affects of the sun.  And to think people will actually go into a tanning salon and get a ‘fake bake’ too.

People do need sun.  It’s a medical fact.  But going into the sun for a short durations and deliberately exposing yourself to the yellow ball are two different things.

But like smoking and alcohol, no matter how many warnings people will receive, they still engage in the activity.  It’s another risk/reward scenario.  However, the reward (in my mind anyway) is quite small for just a season, while the harm could cause you various problems including cancer.

You might look golden brown for a season, but think what you might look like as you age.  There is a lady in our community in her 90s.  She has looked old for many years do to an extremely wrinkled face.  Frankly, she looks like a prune.  When she was younger, she spent much time in the sun.

People tell you to put on the sunscreen if you are going to be outside.  My advice, forget that too.  You ever wonder what that stuff does to your skin as it goes through your pores?  Better yet, get a wide-brimmed hat, long shelves and long pants.  Down the age road, you will be happy with your choice.  

whereIstand Tags

• AmericanMedicalAssociation
• JAMA
• Do the benefits of skin tanning (via UV light) outweigh the risks?

I question whether the government should subsidize corn-base ethanol.

Ethanol has become the hot topic of conversation especially in states such as mine,
Iowa.  At the beginning of this push, talk of ethanol plants springing up was quite common.   Now that has slowed quite a bit.  It seems capital is a problem.  Plus, there are questions concerning the overall burning of the fuel in vehicles.  Older vehicles could have some major mechanical issues if those engines receive steady ethanol.

Ethanol has only affected the economy.  Farmers are rushing to plant more corn acres.  Land prices are skyrocketing.  Food prices are climbing.  The farmers may be setting themselves up for boom and then bust.  It is a dicey situation.

I drive a 1999 vehicle.  I don’t burn ethanol and would not want to in the future.  What is going to happen to my car if I’m forced to burn the stuff?

I think the government should be looking into other forms of energy.  Putting all your eggs in the ethanol basket seems risky at this point.  What about exploring oil reserves in this country like in
Alaska?  What about preaching conservation?  What about talking with big oil companies and encouraging them to do all they can to keep prices reasonable while maintaining supplies.

I am not an economist or scientist, but I think the verdict is in on the potential of ethanol as a wide-based fuel.  And frankly, I believe it is a negative one.

whereIstand Tags

• ExxonMobil
• RoyalDutchShell
• Should the U.S. government subsidize corn-based ethanol?

This Mother’s Day will be the second one without my mom.  She died February 2007.

My mother was a great lady.  She stood tall (6-0) and exhibited great class.  She was a country schoolteacher before she married.  Later she was a checkout clerk at the local grocery store.  She would also sell
Avon and help the city clerk prepare the water bills.  For a woman born in 1915, my mom was ahead of the pack with the term ‘working woman.’

The lady could cook and bake.  She was known for her homemade bread formed in round juice cans.  Oftentimes she would share the bread with people who were sick or encountered other difficulty.  She enjoyed bringing people goodies at Christmas time.  Her divinity candy was the popular item in that offering.

My mom enjoyed entertaining people for a meal or lunch.  She was hospitable and truly enjoyed and cared for people.

People loved my mom.  When she was in the nursing home for the last four years of her life, she seemed to draw people to her room like a magnet.  Staff members enjoyed talking to my mom and telling her their difficulties because they knew she would provide a listening ear.

I had a front row seat at home to observe what a wonderful lady my mom was.  She gave, cared and loved me as I grew up with a physical disability.

I was blessed to have a great mom (and dad too).  I am happy that her earthly suffering is over and she is enjoying the fruits of heaven. 

I read a story the other day that gave another example of this country’s financial woes.

It turns out
America’s money is costing us money.  According to the report, a penny now costs more than one cent to produce and a nickel costs 7 ½ cents.  The soaring prices of cooper, nickel and zinc are to blame.

There are some in Congress apparently that want to bring back the steel coins of the World War II era.  You think your pocket is heavy now with change, imagine what it would feel like with steel coins.

I offer a different solution.  Maybe it’s time to retire the penny.  Other countries survive without a one-cent piece.  Why not the
USA?  I bet the cost savings would be substantial.

True, it would cost money to get rid of the penny.  Plus, to change one aspect of the money system would probably be challenging.  But this would be a great time to retire that little piece that just seems to accumulate in piggybanks, dresser drawers, pockets and wherever. 

After a while, people would not even notice it and probably wonder why we didn’t scrap the penny a long time ago.

But this solution seems too logical to work.  I imagine a potential penny dumping would excite lobbyists to rescue the little value coin.   

Tough economic times call for smart economic decisions.  We need to quit the sentiment and move forward.

whereIstand Tags

• UnitedStatesDepartmentoftheTreasury
• What has a bigger negative impact on the U.S. Treasury?

The Major League Baseball Player’s Association is concerned that no team has signed Barry Bonds. Well from my corner of the world, the fact that Bonds is still unemployed doesn’t surprise me.  He has various strikes against him.

Bonds is 43 years old.  The tread on the tires is pretty worn.  That presents a problem for any National League team using him in the field.

Another issue is salary.  How many teams in baseball will surrender millions of dollars for someone who is less than an everyday player?  Even as a DH in the American League, is he really worth that amount of money?

Good or bad, Bonds also has a reputation of being a difficult teammate.  If that is true, would a team want to create a possible stressful situation in its clubhouse?

But probably the biggest reason Bonds is still looking for baseball work relates to all the steroid allegations.  Any team that signs him is in danger of receiving lots of negative publicity because of that baggage.  Teams can ask the Giants what it was like for them during Bonds tenure there.   Who knows, maybe more allegations could come out during the time Bonds would play with his ‘new’ team.

The bottom line in all of this says that teams consider Bonds a poor risk.  I believe teams think the risk-to-reward ratio is tilted too far toward the risk side.

Bonds seems to have fallen off the baseball radar screen.  It may stay that way too unless some American League teams picks him up late in the year for a stretch run.

whereIstand Tags

• BarryBonds
• Should Barry Bonds’ home run record have an asterisk?

I have not heard much talk this season about instant replay in baseball.  And, frankly, that is a good thing.

I love the game of baseball.  But at times it is extremely slow.  Imagine adding instant replay to the mix.  Now, we are talking really, really, slow.

Umpires are not robots, they make mistakes.  And even if it is not okay, it is okay if you know what I mean.  Umpires are human just like the players.  But if you watch televised replays, you are amazed of the accuracy of the umpires.  They do an outstanding job.

And it is a challenging job.  I used to umpire on the high school level and the game gets pretty fast at times.

I hope Major League Baseball does not cave into the pressure and allow instant reply.  Baseball needs to let the ruling stand on the field and not allow some replay booth and official determine the result of a play.

If you need to have replay, watch a NFL game or a college football game.  Those contests have plenty of replays that help draw out games further and further.  

We live in a non-perfect world.  There is no reason to demand perfection from umpires on the ball diamond.

whereIstand Tags

• MLBPA
• Should Major League Baseball use instant replay to review umpires’ decisions?