Well. It's finally here. Pennsylvania's primary. If you're a Democrat, you finally get to decide which extreme left-of-center candidate is right for you. If you're a Republican.....well you have McCain or, if you are in a protest vote mood, Ron Paul or Mike Huckabee.
I confess that I was originally a Giuliani supporter. I felt Rudy offered the right mix of hawkishness on the Islamofascists' War Against Us, executive experience and tax-cutting acumen.
Unfortunately, his campaign got off the ground about as well as the Hindenburg.
So I'm left with John McCain. He's ok. On the War, he was the only candidate who was tougher than Giuliani. He's for eliminating earmarks which, while they represent a small part of the overall budget, is important symbolically and for re-establishing the party's credentials fiscally.
Ron Paul is actually halfway there for me. His take on smaller government and referencing the Constitution on domestic matters resonates with a small government libertarian conservative like myself. Unfortunately, his isolationist views are naive at best and disastrous at worst.
Mike Huckabee, outside of his income tax reform proposals, reminds me of what scientists would devise if the objective was Republican Jimmy Carter.
As for more local races, I keep getting phone calls to write in William Russell to run against John Murtha. I think I'm going to do it, just on general principle.
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
Stanley Cup Playoffs Predictions West
Well Pens-Sens has begun and after one period things are looking good for the black and gold. Here's hoping it continues. For now, here's my Western Conference picks:
1. Detroit vs. 8. Nashville: The Red Wings are loaded with talent, but most aren't picking them to get out of the second round. I think if they make short work of the Preds, they'll have a better chance, but the Predators are a decent hard-working bunch. That's worth two games. Detroit 4-2
2. San Jose vs. 7. Calgary: The Sharks are my pick out of the West, but this series could be a trap. The Flames have plenty of guys from the 2003 Conference Championship team and understand that vigorous defense can blunt the Shark attack. This will be a long series. Sharks 4-3
3. Minnesota vs. Colorado: A lot of analysts believe the 'Lanche will win this one fairly easily. I disagree. The Wild have one of the league's best goalies, one of the best coaches and one of the best systems in the game. Colorado has the edge talent-wise, but I doubt Theodore can be consistent and that Forsburg will hold up. Wild 4-3
4. Anaheim vs. 5. Dallas: The Ducks have been strong since Niedermeyer and Selanne returned from their semi-retirements. For the Stars, this could be their last chance for a deep run. The Ducks are just too strong defensively. Ducks 4-1
1. Detroit vs. 8. Nashville: The Red Wings are loaded with talent, but most aren't picking them to get out of the second round. I think if they make short work of the Preds, they'll have a better chance, but the Predators are a decent hard-working bunch. That's worth two games. Detroit 4-2
2. San Jose vs. 7. Calgary: The Sharks are my pick out of the West, but this series could be a trap. The Flames have plenty of guys from the 2003 Conference Championship team and understand that vigorous defense can blunt the Shark attack. This will be a long series. Sharks 4-3
3. Minnesota vs. Colorado: A lot of analysts believe the 'Lanche will win this one fairly easily. I disagree. The Wild have one of the league's best goalies, one of the best coaches and one of the best systems in the game. Colorado has the edge talent-wise, but I doubt Theodore can be consistent and that Forsburg will hold up. Wild 4-3
4. Anaheim vs. 5. Dallas: The Ducks have been strong since Niedermeyer and Selanne returned from their semi-retirements. For the Stars, this could be their last chance for a deep run. The Ducks are just too strong defensively. Ducks 4-1
Stanley Cup Playoff Predictions 2008: Eastern Conference
More on McCain in the near future. For now, I feel like indulging my more enjoyable, and probably more socially-acceptable, obsession.
Round One: East
1. Montreal vs. 8. Boston: The Habs dominated the Bruins during the regular season and have historically dominated the B's during the playoffs as well. Montreal's superior special teams will make quick work of Boston. Montreal 4-1
2. Pittsburgh vs. 7. Ottawa: The Pens are much better defensively then they were last year. Fleury has also played exceptionally well since returning from a high ankle sprain. The Sens injury and goaltending issues will come to the forefront in a short series. Pittsburgh 4-1
3. Washington vs. 6. Philadelphia: This should be a fun series. The Flyers have superior playoff experience and will bang the Capitals hard. Ovechkin and Huet will have to come through in a big way to maintain home-ice. Philadelphia 4-2
4. New Jersey vs. 5. New York Rangers: Despite a dominating performance on Sunday by the Devils, the Rangers have a clear edge here. Brodeur will have to steal a couple to extend this series. New York Rangers 4-2
Round One: East
1. Montreal vs. 8. Boston: The Habs dominated the Bruins during the regular season and have historically dominated the B's during the playoffs as well. Montreal's superior special teams will make quick work of Boston. Montreal 4-1
2. Pittsburgh vs. 7. Ottawa: The Pens are much better defensively then they were last year. Fleury has also played exceptionally well since returning from a high ankle sprain. The Sens injury and goaltending issues will come to the forefront in a short series. Pittsburgh 4-1
3. Washington vs. 6. Philadelphia: This should be a fun series. The Flyers have superior playoff experience and will bang the Capitals hard. Ovechkin and Huet will have to come through in a big way to maintain home-ice. Philadelphia 4-2
4. New Jersey vs. 5. New York Rangers: Despite a dominating performance on Sunday by the Devils, the Rangers have a clear edge here. Brodeur will have to steal a couple to extend this series. New York Rangers 4-2
Sunday, March 30, 2008
Another long break
It's true what they say....it takes a great deal of effort to keep up with a blog.
The wife's business endeavors have taken off over the last few months. More on that, as I'm permitted to release to the general public.
Presidential campaign has wittled down to McCain, Hilliary and Obama. Fortunately, I don't have to eat crow about originally supporting Giuliani. McCain, while far from perfect, will do. Some of the folks he's surrounded himself with give me hope. His V.P. pick will make or break him, not only in the general, but in his administration as well.
NHL playoffs will be starting soon. Pens are currently in first place in the East. Unfortunately, the Bruins are in 8th. I think the Bruins match up very well against the Pens and I'm fearful of a first round upset. Hopefully with a week to go, the Flyers or Caps will grab the 8 spot.
The wife and I have become big fans of Doctor Who and Torchwood since last summer. Young kids should stay away from Torchwood, but Dr. Who is fun and usually pretty intelligent fare.
With the writers' strike, there hasn't been much on TV worth watching. Thankfully, I have hockey and Fox News, among other non-fiction channels -- I'm sure some liberal believes Fox News is created daily by some conservative cabal somewhere....
That's it for now. I want to go in depth on McCain. Everybody else seems to be talking about Obama or Hillary. Since I'm pretty confident McCain will win the general, I think it's imperative to examine the pros and cons of a McCain administration. More sooner than later.
The wife's business endeavors have taken off over the last few months. More on that, as I'm permitted to release to the general public.
Presidential campaign has wittled down to McCain, Hilliary and Obama. Fortunately, I don't have to eat crow about originally supporting Giuliani. McCain, while far from perfect, will do. Some of the folks he's surrounded himself with give me hope. His V.P. pick will make or break him, not only in the general, but in his administration as well.
NHL playoffs will be starting soon. Pens are currently in first place in the East. Unfortunately, the Bruins are in 8th. I think the Bruins match up very well against the Pens and I'm fearful of a first round upset. Hopefully with a week to go, the Flyers or Caps will grab the 8 spot.
The wife and I have become big fans of Doctor Who and Torchwood since last summer. Young kids should stay away from Torchwood, but Dr. Who is fun and usually pretty intelligent fare.
With the writers' strike, there hasn't been much on TV worth watching. Thankfully, I have hockey and Fox News, among other non-fiction channels -- I'm sure some liberal believes Fox News is created daily by some conservative cabal somewhere....
That's it for now. I want to go in depth on McCain. Everybody else seems to be talking about Obama or Hillary. Since I'm pretty confident McCain will win the general, I think it's imperative to examine the pros and cons of a McCain administration. More sooner than later.
Saturday, November 10, 2007
Message to Penguins fans -- DON'T PANIC!
I've heard and read a lot about the Pens' "struggles" to gain some traction in this still very-young season. Time to address some issues on this that have been bugging me.
To all "let's trade Fleury for a bag of magic beans" fans -- He's 23. The youngest "sorta-starting" goalie in the league. The fact the Pens believe they can play with less intensity in front of him does not help. And the Pens' issues aren't just about goaltending, as easy as it is for some people to believe otherwise.
To the "Fire Therrien" fans -- While Therrien's penchant for changing lines can be annoying; I believe he's looking to build chemistry 2-3 months down the road as opposed to just the next 2-3 games. Changing coaches when the team is only 7-8-1 and one point from a playoff spot. The schedule, especially the first half-dozen games, wasn't exactly conducive for building consistency either.
In short, a 7-8-1 start isn't anything to cry about. Let's give this thing 30 games before we start to shout for Micheal Therrien's head or call Marc-Andre Fleury the bust-of-the-century. Only Ottawa, Carolina and Montreal really stand out so far in the East, and the Habs started well last year before falling back and missing the playoffs. Yes, the defense and goaltending have major issues and the scoring needs to come from others besides Crosby, Malkin, Sykora and Malone, but the season is a marathon, not a sprint. In the end, the adversity will probably benefit the young players that are the building blocks of the team as the years go by.
Don't panic. No matter how fun we think it is.
To all "let's trade Fleury for a bag of magic beans" fans -- He's 23. The youngest "sorta-starting" goalie in the league. The fact the Pens believe they can play with less intensity in front of him does not help. And the Pens' issues aren't just about goaltending, as easy as it is for some people to believe otherwise.
To the "Fire Therrien" fans -- While Therrien's penchant for changing lines can be annoying; I believe he's looking to build chemistry 2-3 months down the road as opposed to just the next 2-3 games. Changing coaches when the team is only 7-8-1 and one point from a playoff spot. The schedule, especially the first half-dozen games, wasn't exactly conducive for building consistency either.
In short, a 7-8-1 start isn't anything to cry about. Let's give this thing 30 games before we start to shout for Micheal Therrien's head or call Marc-Andre Fleury the bust-of-the-century. Only Ottawa, Carolina and Montreal really stand out so far in the East, and the Habs started well last year before falling back and missing the playoffs. Yes, the defense and goaltending have major issues and the scoring needs to come from others besides Crosby, Malkin, Sykora and Malone, but the season is a marathon, not a sprint. In the end, the adversity will probably benefit the young players that are the building blocks of the team as the years go by.
Don't panic. No matter how fun we think it is.
I'm back...
Well that was a longer break than I expected.
I've been rather busy with assisting my wife with her endeavors along with editing a novel a couple of friends of mine have been working on.
Plus we got a cat. Our first pet. He rocks.
In upcoming posts, I want to discuss sports, comics, TV and politics, including the presidential campaign that has seemingly gone on forever already.
I've been rather busy with assisting my wife with her endeavors along with editing a novel a couple of friends of mine have been working on.
Plus we got a cat. Our first pet. He rocks.
In upcoming posts, I want to discuss sports, comics, TV and politics, including the presidential campaign that has seemingly gone on forever already.
Monday, August 6, 2007
"Heroes" withdrawal...and other shows I miss...
I've promised that I would try to add some pop culture posts in the past. (I've also promised to post more....oh freakin' well.)
With the arrival of the dog days of summer, one starts to miss new episodes of their favorite tv shows. One of my new favorites from last year is "Heroes." I was deathly afraid when I watched the premiere that this would be some kind of "Misfits of Science" (Courtney Cox was in that, I believe) derivative. And anyone who actually watched and remembers "Misfits of Science" can probably imagine how bad that could be.
Fortunately, "Heroes" was intelligently written from the start and remained strong throughout. While the 1st season finale fell a little flat, the acting of Masi Oka, Jack Coleman, Nathan Pasdar (I'll give him a pass, even though he's married to Natalie Maines) and Zachary Quinto were top-notch.
More importantly, the show treated "comic-book" concepts like superpowers with a respect typically unseen with new properties of this genre and the characters were allowed to grow and change in a mature, logical manner.
The first season DVD will most likely be a Christmas gift, so, outside of an occasional foray into NBC's "Heroes" website to check out the original graphic novels, my "Heroes" fix will have to wait until the season premiere.
As for other shows I've been watching:
"The Office" - The worst thing about this show was that I had to change the name of a concept I came up with for some friends a couple years back. Always funny, the writers have found a happy medium between zany and downright uncomfortable situations. Rainn Wilson is consistently brilliant.
"My Name is Earl" - Somewhat overshadowed by "The Office", the most amazing thing about this show is Jason Lee's complete departure from all of his previous roles. Occasional recurring roles by Giovanni Ribisi and Beau Bridges are the icing on the cake.
"Scrubs" - I came late to this show, which at times can be quite schmaltzy. But the schmaltz is more than mitigated by the presence of John C. McGinley as the acerbic Dr. Perry Cox. I always think of Dr. Cox when I come across irrational bleeding hearts or crappy music on the radio.
"Family Guy" - So loaded with references, you can watch each episode multiple times. While the left-wing bias is a little overbearing at times, the Bill Clinton episode makes up for it.
"No Reservations" - The one show on this list that some folks probably haven't heard of, it's also one of the most interesting and varied. Anthony Bourdain's meat-loving, damn it all to hell attitude is great. His love for experiencing the people, the actual culture of a place is infectious. The producers also do an excellent job of picking locations that are both unfamiliar and interesting.
That's it for now, but I'll revisit this issue with the one new show I've discovered this summer: Flight of the Conchords. Until next time.
With the arrival of the dog days of summer, one starts to miss new episodes of their favorite tv shows. One of my new favorites from last year is "Heroes." I was deathly afraid when I watched the premiere that this would be some kind of "Misfits of Science" (Courtney Cox was in that, I believe) derivative. And anyone who actually watched and remembers "Misfits of Science" can probably imagine how bad that could be.
Fortunately, "Heroes" was intelligently written from the start and remained strong throughout. While the 1st season finale fell a little flat, the acting of Masi Oka, Jack Coleman, Nathan Pasdar (I'll give him a pass, even though he's married to Natalie Maines) and Zachary Quinto were top-notch.
More importantly, the show treated "comic-book" concepts like superpowers with a respect typically unseen with new properties of this genre and the characters were allowed to grow and change in a mature, logical manner.
The first season DVD will most likely be a Christmas gift, so, outside of an occasional foray into NBC's "Heroes" website to check out the original graphic novels, my "Heroes" fix will have to wait until the season premiere.
As for other shows I've been watching:
"The Office" - The worst thing about this show was that I had to change the name of a concept I came up with for some friends a couple years back. Always funny, the writers have found a happy medium between zany and downright uncomfortable situations. Rainn Wilson is consistently brilliant.
"My Name is Earl" - Somewhat overshadowed by "The Office", the most amazing thing about this show is Jason Lee's complete departure from all of his previous roles. Occasional recurring roles by Giovanni Ribisi and Beau Bridges are the icing on the cake.
"Scrubs" - I came late to this show, which at times can be quite schmaltzy. But the schmaltz is more than mitigated by the presence of John C. McGinley as the acerbic Dr. Perry Cox. I always think of Dr. Cox when I come across irrational bleeding hearts or crappy music on the radio.
"Family Guy" - So loaded with references, you can watch each episode multiple times. While the left-wing bias is a little overbearing at times, the Bill Clinton episode makes up for it.
"No Reservations" - The one show on this list that some folks probably haven't heard of, it's also one of the most interesting and varied. Anthony Bourdain's meat-loving, damn it all to hell attitude is great. His love for experiencing the people, the actual culture of a place is infectious. The producers also do an excellent job of picking locations that are both unfamiliar and interesting.
That's it for now, but I'll revisit this issue with the one new show I've discovered this summer: Flight of the Conchords. Until next time.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)