The NBA Belongs to the Ref’s

I am still marveling on the officiating in tonights game. So many aggressive plays un-called and so many called to intently, if you ask me. I have seen 2 players on the Nuggets get away with flagrant fouls. One of them was a two handed push in the back. He was later bumped up to a flagrant foul 1, which wasn’t assessed in the game, which sucks because there would have been 2 free throws and the Lakers getting the ball back. Too much of the games momentum has fallen into the hands of the officials, and that kind of power cannot be trusted. It could easily lead to officials accepting money to control the momentum of the game.

It has always been a good practice for officials to call a game with an even temper. This has not been the case with this series, and I’ve got to wonder if my favorite sport is going the way of the Wrestling World?

The play that blew my mind was the intentional tripping of Kobe, which wasn’t even called a foul, let alone flagrant. What’s that saying. There were 3 officials standing there, who get paid to watch the whole floor. Paid, man! If a player tells the officials he was intentionally tripped, and there going to assess the foul at some later point, then why not right then. We saw the replay 12 times on TNT. We all saw it! How do you think this will effect the fans of the team you called, while ignoring the other?

I know there is a lot of confusion out there amoung ref’s trying to do the right thing and call the game fairly, but when I have to listen to the announcers state there favorite on one team while criticizing the other throughout the game, while the refs are showing a heavy hand toward one team and showing lenience toward the other one play later, it starts looking a bit scripted. Are you sure they are playing against each other Mr. Stearn? Do you investigate your own refs, or do you leave that to the local authorities?

Look Phil! I just gotta tell you something!

Look Phil, I know that you’ll never get around to reading this right now, what with the Play-offs and all, but I would like to say that if you were listening I would want you to hear this.

First off I love that you been given Arriza more playing time, I mean the guy has got it going on against this team, coach! I gotta say that, and don’t take me the wrong way on this but, Fisher just isn’t the playmaker we need on point guard right now. I really like the guy, but to be honest with you nothin person, I really think Farmar blossemed into a great player this year. He was definitely available from time to time before but the other night when he took charge and started hitting everyone underneath with those miraculous passes. I saw the ghost of Scotty Pippen, or even what’s his name on The Phoenix Sons; that really quick white guy… Anyway.

I just think you ought to consider Bynum, Gasol, Kobe, Farmar, and Arriza as your starting five and leave them till their like fingers on a hand. This will flourish for years. These guys are all young and healthy and the potential just blasts out of them in spurts, when we could be submerged in their greatness. How would you like 5 more rings Phil? Can you see it?!

Geez Phil! Thanks so much for listenin. I hope this stuff will help you get through the finals so you can start polishing that Red Auerbach victory! Just trust me on this one coach. I know it’s right fucking on!

Politicking: The New Media Century

Lately we’ve heard about the wrestling match going on between the Senate and the White House Administration about when, how and if we should close Guantanamo Bay. Better known as Gitmo. This battle, or war, is being defined by the PR through the public response to the information being passed to us through the Media. You might ask the question, “is there some other way to understand what’s going on?”.

Lets just look at the campaign without the blinders. First we have the campaign promises of Obama on the road to the White House. The next thing we hear is that a one year commitment Obama made to look into the facts about the prisoners being held there so that a plan for dealing with them can be created. The funny part are the things that begin to happen after this.

Next Obama requests 80 million dollars from Congress in order to properly transfer, try and relocate these prisoners according to their threat levels, the evidence surrounding their suspicions, and whether or not they deserve to be released, not to mention everyone’s desire to keep all the secrets secret. Whatever that means.

Now if we look at the dynamics that are occurring in the media we begin to see an array of complexities that are being introduced by the different measures of PR Politicking that is appearing in the press. This is where TV Media gets most of its sources for our prime time viewing. The front page of the NY Times online, for instance, started with not only the articles regarding the events occurring in Congress and the White House, but suddenly there appears this article about a one year investigation that ended in the arrest of several people that, according to the NY Times, have no Terrorist affiliations. Their plan, according to their sources, was to plant an explosive in a car and detonate it at a Jewish Temple.

The investigation, supposedly, lasted for a full year before any arrests were made, and its got me wondering why so long. The fact is that just because someone is accused of something doesn’t make it real until they are convicted fairly, but in America it has become popular to convict people in the media, especially if it runs concurrent to timely events.

Well, someone at the White House must read the papers pretty early, because the next thing that happens is the White House announces that President Obama will appear before the public on the same day to present his case to the American People and to discredit the actions and legal council of the previous administration. And suddenly, this is the new NY Times Headline! That’s when it hit me that this was all a chess game of PR to form an opinion, in the minds of the people, that will allow the course of future events surrounding the prisoners in Guantanamo, to become the path of least resistance. Like parting the Red Sea, so that events can travel through the path created instead of creating one based on facts and truth.

To me this has all become the reasons why we will never, under these conditions, reach any of the goals that were laid down by Obama when he was running for President. People always talk about “how Washington operates”, and from this brief look at the politics of our media, I can see that it is a combination of Lobbyist powers (private and governmental) coupled with the Media Game, and the numbers in their ingenious poles. This is entirely built on the foundation that people, as a mass response, are dictated by their emotional bond with the story behind why we embrace certain points rather than the truth involved.

The second Iraq invasion is a perfect example of how American’s can be blinded into seeing justification within the perfect lie. Their PR work on the ‘War on Terror’ was so effective that Obama must now confront the existing momentum of those past policies in order to change course. He will have to prove to the American People that the things they were doing, speaking of the past Administration, were quote: “unjust, haphazard, ad hoc approach”. The old PR slant was to push people into thinking that Democrats were NOT tough on Security Issues. Then Cheney appears out of nowhere to refute Obama’s claims against the Bush Administration, and this will go on for a week.

This is slightly off topic, but has a similar relationship to the dynamics I’m seeing. Last night I watched a documentary on Frazetta, an artist whose work became so popular on science fiction novels that publishers wanted to buy his art before they had a novel to put it on. People would buy the books just because he had done the art on the cover, regardless of the content. Our Pop Media has become so caught up in this that the momentum alone has become bigger than any one reporter, or team or paper, or network.

This is what the decline of a culture looks like. When truth becomes someones slant and facts are things we say ending in the phrase, “these are the facts”. And, if you don’t believe me just ask someone for there opinion about something recent in the news and you will get quotes from whatever news agency they preach. Then try to point out any real facts you have uncovered and see where the conversation goes. I’d like to say it’s fun, but it’s not. It’s a bit sad if you ask me.

Last Night on TV

So, last night I’m watching the La Lakers take the first game of the Western Conference Finals (online of course) and I get to watch all the commercials on ESPN. Some of you might think that’s a bit odd, but I don’t have access to commercial television; no cable or satellite dish, just my internet connection.

All through the game I saw a lot of different advertising and this one I couldn’t believe. First of all Toyota is advertising their prius and it’s Green Appeal, and then I see this Cadillac Escalade commercial and it hits me that this whole GM bailout is going to fail, sure as shit. How is this any different?

Toyota and Honda are both selling cars that people need in order to meet with the changes coming, frankly gasoline cannot last for ever and these things can get 50 mpg. What does an Escalade get for mileage. I don’t even care. Like I said I don’t even own cable..

It amazes me we even bothered bailing anything out at all, the banks the insurers and the automakers can fold and I don’t think I would miss them at all. It seems to me that they got themselves into this mess, right!?

But, promising the American Government that it would change directions and then going on like “business as usual”, minus the layoffs, factory closures, and dealer closings. Don’t worry we’ll help you stretch out that failure, while we let our factory workers and and sales people find something else to do.

Personally I believe that all that bailout money would have been far more wisely spent on education, because the people running these companies obviously missed out on economics 101…

My Name is America, and I’m a Power-aholic…

Since the dawn of Power, Nations have sought to control the world through political and military strength. It is quite rare that countries and there power are ever totally honest about their own repercussions unless they are defeated by the next leader of the “Known World”.

For the last two years (one of the longest campaigns in history) we have heard about the “Change” embraced by the Obama Administration, but what does that mean. Well, according to Alex, change means to fix the pipes that are broken. Bronco says that it is an inherent trait of every administration to build new things in order to leave a mark in history, but the problems are underground, in those pipes.

What really needs to change in America lately seems to be the need to change. We live in a two party political system that swings like a rusty pendulum, where nothing ever really seems to change at all. It’s renamed or ignored and the thing that does seems to change is usually the etiquette defining the behavior surrounding it, rather than the thing itself. If you don’t believe me try ending some pork barrel project in the democratic whip’s state.

Seriously, we all just need to get used to it. Franky nothing short of a total overhaul of Washington will accomplish a thing, because no matter what it’s just going to keep pretending to represent the people and will continue to support the special interests of politicians that benefit from their constituents political payoffs, in the form of campaign funding. It’s all about getting and keeping you position, rather than sacrificing any political future to do what is right for the individuals whom you represent.

America needs to go to Rehab, and get off the politico-Crack it’s high on. And the media, which is supposed to be the public watch dog, has way fallen short of it’s duties, suffering the same addictive behaviors that Washington is suffering from, which is the threat of being cut off by the dealers that are swinging the Blonde, Gold the political system is all cracked out on!

“Half measures availed us nothing.. We stood at a turning point” and guess what happens if nothing changes… you got it, “Nothing Changes”!

Come on Stern. It’s Basketball, not BasketBrawl!

This year watching the NBA Finals has been a bit rough for my tastes. I mean, I’ll be honest. I don’t really much care for Football for 2 reasons, 1). It violent! When I was younger I saw Bo Jackson break his hip and stopped watching the sport. The other reason is that it stops after every play for huddles and shit, which is boring. Same with Baseball… boring, but Basketball constantly moves and strikes an elegance in the dance of players moving on offense and defense. Anyway..

Last nights Lakers Houston Playoff games was brutal, but I could see it coming from the previous games I had watched in the first round match-ups. It is common, from what I understand, for the refs to give more leave when it comes to calling quick fouls in the Playoffs vs. the regular season. Sure it gets more press to have 2 players thrown out for raising their tempers, but honestly it could have all been avoided. I don’t see why they wouldn’t want to keep the game clean when it comes to the playoffs. These teams got here by playing good basketball, and not by breaking the other teams spirits by constantly pushing them physically. I just want to go on record as saying I don’t like it!

Lets get back to basics. Teams should come ready to play and not ready to fight. It just annoys me to see shirts being grabbed and held onto and no foul called. Or seeing players hit someone harder than they normally would just to prove a point to the other player that they can play rough to.. Just do it! Right! Call the fouls ref! Make it you duty to help players by alleviating their need to retaliate. Keep it clean!

Rain in May

Rain in May, originally uploaded by Light...

I just wanted to see how well a blog looked that was made in Flickr..

Is that Tamiflu in your pocket…?

OMG!! We’re all gonna DIE! Again… It really amazes me how ridicules the Nation’s Media is. Look, I like Drama just as much as the next guy, but Pandemic? The Spanish Influenza kill 50 million people in 30 days. Loosing 200 in a week is not on the same scale. First of all only about 50-75 people in the US have contracted this thing, and according to “The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) (they) estimate that approximately 1.1 million persons are living with HIV in the United States.”(1)

The funny part about living with the US’ Media is that they are all on the same script. I wonder if viewers could start a group law suit for starting a panic over total misinformation. When Howard Dean was tore apart by the Media after misinterpreting what I would consider to be a pep rally to raise the morale of the thousands of volunteers that were there to support his Campaign. For weeks we had to see this one stupid picture that fraudulently depicted his actions, while the “commentator news core” ripped on him and told us all about his poor behavior, unbecoming of a president.

Now, everyone may not agree with me, but I think he was the only president running at the time who had any real plan, including a balanced budget, health care for America, and alternative energy. We could have really used him in 2004, but that’s not what happened. Instead we got a Republican agenda which was running rampant against all the things most American’s believe in, like Torture and Financial System Bailouts, and 4 dollar a gallon gasoline.

Personally I feel that any format that presents itself as a news program must leave commentary to the commentary segments and should be held accountable for the facts they present as news to America. I wish Howard Dean would have sued AP News and any parrot news agency who repeated the lie. It’s bullshit and we all know the Media is a PR scandel in American life. If you don’t believe me check out your sources and the fact surrounding them and see what’s what. Don’t take my word for it, do a little research on your information.

1). Taken from the CDC website.

A Taxing Tea Party

In response to Congress’ new Stimulus Package A site called taxdayteaparty.com/ has become the highly vocal spirit behind the movement to protest the taxation built into the new Congressional Stimulus Package. Fox News, as well, have begun running commentary ringing the theme “Take Back America”. A big position for a National News Service, to say the least.

It has been my opinion that there is a strong and steady building of sides that has cast a shadow on the Obama Administration. Probably not as potent as the separation of ideals that originally led to the breakaway states that ignited the Civil War in the 1800’s, but America has definitely come to a turning point in its History.

As Fox News has pointed out there is almost no coverage from many of the Major News Services in the US or abroad for that matter. It doesn’t seem PC to discuss it.

Michael Steel, RNC Chairman, had to respond publicly to rumors that he was asking to be counted in as a participant of the Tax Day Demonstrations. According to his response he had never considered himself involved in any way, nor had he suggested that to Tax Day Tea Party or its organizers.

In the past few months since Obama has taken office there have been a cacophony of voices cheering on one side of the isle, while another less casual voice from across the way that has begun chanting descent of the Liberal Pull that has swept through Congress.

But, lets not forget that the Republicans got the ball rolling with the TARP program request to Congress which gave $700 bil to financial institutes, who essentially put the US in dyer straights with reckless decisions, while ignoring the systemic risks involved, not to mention the bailout of Bear Stearns and AIG, Instigated by George Bush’s choice for Fed Chief, Ben Bernanke.

Some of America have become quite upset with the bailout and feel that the economy should have followed the natural course it had created for itself, which could have brought a huge number of major banks to ruin. It’s hard to say what’s really helping, but it is well known in economic circles, that the Government isn’t responsible for the health of the economy, or shouldn’t be. Hence the idea of Free Enterprise.

Its very hard to predict where this movement will take us, as it is equally difficult to predict whether or not the now Trillions of dollars being spent on these broken financials will ultimately do what it has been intended to do.

The good news is that people are talking about topics that were once considered taboos in America. Lets just hope it comes to wholesome and constructive ends!

The New America vs. Tobacco

I don’t even know what to say about the taxes they added to tobacco April 1st. It really reminds me of the Boston Tea Party. The idea of handing most of the responsibility of funding a portion of the new health plan for America to the poor is amazing to me.

If you haven’t noticed or don’t smoke, as of April 1st a new tax was imposed on tobacco that will pay for children’s health care. Last year the state of Montana imposed a tax on Tobacco that goes to covering cancer patients that can’t afford to pay for their treatment, which from a weird perspective make some sense, but taxing the poor for child health care? I don’t remember Obama ever mentioning that as part of the Change..

Understand me when I say the “poor” are being asked to pay this fee for their so called sins. It will cost the rich and middle class about 2 bucks a pack more in order to purchase their desires, while those who couldn’t afford to smoke packs of Marlboros or Camels, or chose not to smoke packs of cigarettes, but rather choose to roll their own are being charged by the pound for their vice.

In 2007 a can (150g) was $13.00. In Montana that jumped to $20 in 08, and as of April 1st 2009 now costs $40. This is pretty likely to put companies like American Spirit and Top out of business. I’m not going to pay it. It’s more likely that this kind of jump in price will actually open the doors for organized crime to make money stealing or growing contraband tobacco to sell on the black market.

I didn’t really mind that the price went up to pay for the outcome of the vice itself, but paying for a service that can in no way effect me seems a bit high handed. All those campaign promises of Change amount to nothing if it takes away parts of our lives in order to make someone else’s better. That’s the way it is now.

So, go ahead and disenfranchise us Obama. That’s what every President has been doing to us since Kennedy was shot. You, my friend are just another politician who handed us a bunch of promises and frankly I never bought it. I was raised in a blue collar family, my father was a Union Electrician. So many people believe in you and your really not what you painted yourself to be. Are you?

And maybe by the time your out of office we might be considering pulling out of Iraq, or finally closing Guantanamo Bay, but I seriously doubt it. I will say this though. You have finally taken the last bit of fun I had calling myself an American.

The bottom line is that I’m over it. I have never felt so disappointed with the place I live. My voice will never be heard and I don’t care anymore.