The Worst

 

 

I know I speak for all Americans when I say we live in the best country in the world but have the worst people who want to lead it.

I'm enough of a history student (and have lived through plenty of it) to admit this has been a complaint every four years.  Still, this year ranks right up there with Pierce versus Scott. (Pierce won.)

The Republicans renominated for the third time, Donald Trump.

Donald Trump didn't deserve to be nominated the first time, must less a third time.  But as they say on ESPN, it is what it is. 

Now, the pros and cons of Donald Trump have been discussed and debated ad nauseam (Latin for "a lot") for eight years.  We know what he is good at (his "brand," whatever that is) and staking out a position on something that you do not understand what he is saying.

He has this tendency to muddy up the waters on an issue because he really can't explain his position. This has something to do with his ability to play 4-D Chess.

Take, for example, the Haitians in Springfield, Ohio.  Trump latched on to a story about Haitian immigrants eating dogs and cats ( or, as he said, "doogs") instead of getting to the real problem of the 20,000 Haitians arriving since 2020 to a town of 60,000 that did not have per-existing Haitian population. 

That's a lot of people a small Midwestern town is expected to absorb. On the bright side, if you can speak fluent Creole French, I think I know where you can get a job.

Trump could have made a compelling argument about immigration. Instead, he sounded like a Yahoo.

On top of this, Trump is spending his campaign time selling coins and watches.

Can you imagine John Kennedy in a commercial in 1960? "It is time for a new generation, and you can get the time on your new John F. Kennedy watch by Timex." 

After the first assassination attempt, Trump had an opportunity to present a new Trump- a Trump that isn't so Nutsy Fagen.

That lasted about 30 minutes into his acceptance speech.  He spent the rest of the 90-minute speech giving the crowd his greatest hits like he was REO Speedwagon ("Heard it from a friend who, heard it from a friend who.")

The other side is not any better.  After it became apparent that President McGoo had no idea what year it was, the Democrats got Nancy Pelosi and Former President Obama to muscle the President out of running for his renomination.

To keep things smooth, everyone agreed that Vice President Harris should be the nominee because, well, shut up.

The problem is the idea of President Harris might look good on paper, but then she opens her mouth. What comes out is as confusing as Trump and contradicts what she said in 2019. (Not that it is a bad thing to contradict what she said in 2019 because most of it was loopy.)

In 2019, she ran as a super Progressive. This time, she is running as a "moderate," which means she owns a gun.

She was on TV a lot in 2019. I never heard a word about growing up middle class or working at McDonald's (she says she worked on the fries). 

She talks about falling out of coconut trees and looking at the economy "holistically".

"Madame Vice President, what are you going to do about the economy?"

"Growing up middle class, I learned Piggly Wiggly would gouge customers and I promise not to let Piggly Wiggly do it again."

Her big plan is not to let grocery stores gouge their customers.  What?  When did grocery stores gouge customers?  During the pandemic?  

But one thing both candidates have in common.  Neither one knows how to think.

Trump is all reaction. He doesn't sit around and think.  He sits around and stews. 

Harris can't provide detail or explain why she has transformed from a San Francisco progressive to Middle Class Mom in five years. Could it be she was just saying what she had to in order to get in good with the cool kids at the cool table?

Trump is for no income tax on tips because, he sat around, and thought why not?  Harris selected Tim Walz as a running mate because the Mean Girls in the Democratic Party aren't thrilled with Israel. 

The bottom line this year is the old Woody Allen quote: "More than any other time in history, mankind faces a crossroads. One path leads to despair and utter hopelessness. The other, to total extinction. Let us pray we have the wisdom to choose correctly."

 

 

This Week's Picks Week Five

"Squall's out on the gulf stream, Big storm's comin' soon"  ~Jimmy Buffett

 

Just to give you some inside baseball, we have a hurricane coming to town, which means either death or destruction.  Or both. You can never tell about hurricanes.

We here at Picks Central held a special emergency meeting and our COO, Trudy I. Manis, advised us to publish a day or so sooner. Just to be on the safe side. 

 

This week's picks!

 

Jawja vs Bamy. The big game of the week. I really can't say anything funny about it. However, Sports Illustrated says it best: "Nobody really knows how to feel going into this game, and everyone can envision an avenue where both teams win this football game. Nick Saban may not be on the other sideline across from Kirby Smart this time, but everything points to this being another classic college football dynasty showdown within the SEC realm."  I'm picking Georgia because I think Kirby really, really, really wants to win this. But, you know, Alabama has a way with Georgia.  Georgia wins (barely).

 

Lousyville vs Our Lady:  Louisville took care of Georgia Tech last week.  Who knows what you are going to get with Notre Dame.  Louisville is a better team.  Louisville wins. 

Illinoize vs Lions of Nittany:  The fighting Illinois bois against Penn State.  Illinois has won four games, but they haven't played Penn State yet. That should make a difference. Penn State wins.

Ahia State vs Meechigan State: Ah yes, the Buckeyes are having another great year while Michigan State is still in Michigan.  Ohio State wins.

Jawja Southurn vs. Jawja Stayed: Georgia Southern (school song: "I gotta get drunk, and I sure do dread it") travels to 'Lanuh to play Georgia State. It's GSU versus GSU.  GSU wins!

University of Tennessee-Martin vs My Beloved Owls.  "At UT Martin, you’ll be part of a caring and close-knit community who will challenge you to do your best, encourage you to follow your dreams and support you through every step of your academic journey."  I will translate this:  "At UT Martin, you'll be in West Tennessee, which doesn't even have a Bucee's".  They are an FCS school, which should help the Owls since the transition to FBS has been, um, challenging. Owls win. 

This Week's Picks Week 4

 

 

This week, both Georgia and Kennesaw State are off, so we have a shorter-than-usual This Week's Picks.  For this, we give praise.

For what it is worth, Georgia barely got out of Kentucky alive.  Texas destroyed the University of Texas At San Antonio with the help of Arch Manning, grandson of Archie and nephew of Peyton and Eli.  Texas has hopped over Georgia for the number one spot. It is a long season, but Texas really looks good. 

This week's picks!

Ramblins vs. Lousyville. This week, the Battling Bees go to Louisville. (Question: Is the capitol of Kentucky pronounced "Louie-ville" or "Louis-ville"? Neither is it pronounced "Frankfort".) As you know, I jumped on the B-Train when they beat Florida State. This should be a good test to see if Georgia Tech is the real deal or not. I'll go with not. Louisville wins. 

Utes of America vs. Oklahoma State. Utah is one of those teams you hear a lot about but never see play. Oklahoma State is still being coached by a guy with a mullet. I think Utah ought to win because I think of Joe Pesci and his line from "My Cousin Vinny" about "two utes." Utah wins. 

Tennaysay vs. Okie: The big SEC game is Tennessee vs. Oklahoma. Tennessee may make the twelve-team playoff, but Oklahoma won't. They won't know what to do with Tennessee's fast offense. Welcome to the SEC, boys.  Tennessee wins. 

Jawja Southurn vs Ole Mess:  Georgia Southern (Lyrics from their school song: "I like beer, it makes me a jolly good fellow") goes to Oxford to play Ole Miss. Ole Miss is number 5 in the rankings, which makes it the first Top Ten team Georgia Southern has played.  It would be a blankety-blank big deal if Georgia Southern won. They won't. Ole Miss wins. 

Floreeduh vs Upright Walking On Two Legs Bulldogs.  Talk about a stinky game. Flordia is looking horrible now, while Mississippi State is losing to Toledo (or "Twoledo" as Paul Finebaum pronounced it) at home, with innocent cowbells present.  Supposedly, Florida has a bunch of commitments from its boosters to buy out Billy Napier's contract.  The amount of scratch they need to come up with is only (checks notes) $26 million dollars.  As Steve Miller would say to Napier, go on, take the money and run. I tend to think Florida is better than Mississippi State.  Call me crazy, but Mississippi State wins.

 

 

No Debate

 

 

I know this will make me look bad.

I didn't watch the Trump-Harris debate the other night, nor did I watch the Trump-Biden debate in June. I haven't watched a Presidential debate since 2016.

I used to be a consummate political junkie. Now, not so much.

I don't know if I have become disillusioned, cynical, or just plain old grumpy in my old age.

I mean, I get the history of it and all that. Nixon had a heavy beard and Kennedy was tanned, tested, and ready.  Ford freed Poland. Reagan, Bush, Clinton, Bush, yadda, yadda.

I just think it has passed its expiration date. Maybe at one time we needed to have a joint press conference where the candidates express their positions on the issues of the day. 

But Presidential debates have basically become NASCAR races that we watch to see if anybody crashes.

Last June, President Biden crashed, and it sent Democrats into full panic mode because they spent a lot of time telling us Biden was fit as a fiddle when it was pretty obvious he didn't have a lot going on upstairs. 

News reports say Trump crashed the other night. Yet, I get the impression it doesn't really matter because this is the Trump people have always seen, and when he acts like a baboon, nobody is surprised.

News reports say Harris hit all her marks, whatever that means. I think it means she didn't act like Trump, but that can't be that difficult.

The moderators asked her about "fracking," which she was against back in ancient history (2019).  Now, she is pro-fracking. She likes it, she loves it, she wants some more of it.  

Harris announced that she is a gun owner.  I guess this was her attempt to win the White Evangelicals With Less Than Three Years Of College Who Like To Shoot Things.   I just never thought of her as a pistol packing mama, but what do I know?

I don't understand why she was not asked about President Biden unless I missed it. A question like: When did you realize President Biden was non compos mentis?

The moderators had no interest in that. Which is part of the problem because the interest the moderators from ABC News had was making sure The Vice President had a good night.

Two things can be true at the same time.  Trump did an awful job. ABC did an awful job too.

I remember watching a debate between Bill Clinton and Bob Dole in 1996  In his closing remarks Bill Clinton gave out his internet address, which sounded funny at the time.  When the debate ended, Dole made a bee-line to the moderator and said, "Why did you ask him all the easy questions?"

In  2008,  the moderator for a debate against Barack Obama and John McCain  was the late Gwen Ifill.  Ifill had signed a book contract weeks before to write about Obama and his undeniable holiness. I think that qualifies as a conflict of interest.

Then in 2012, in a debate between Republican candidates, George Stephanopoulos, who somehow has become an anchor of sorts despite working for President Clinton, asked Mitt Romney why Republicans want to outlaw birth control. Which, as history has shown, none of the Republican candidates that year were even talking about birth control.

Later the same year in the Presidential Debate with President Obama, Mitt Romney was fact-checked by moderator Candy Crowley. It turns out that Romney was right and Crowley was wrong.

There are other examples, but one thing that is common to each is that the "refs" (the press) interfered with the game (the debates) for the Democrats and against the Republicans. In that sense, David Muir and Lynsey Davis was just carrying on an old family tradition.

That should not be.

Charles C.W. Cooke of The National Review said:

"But I’m outraged by the moderation nevertheless, because it existed independently of Donald Trump’s flaws, and because, in a republic such as ours, it should not have. I am, in other words, outraged by the moderation per se — not because it was aimed at Donald Trump (whom I dislike and for whom I do not intend to vote) or because I think it materially altered the outcome of the debate (which it did not), but because the press should not be doing what it did in presidential debates, and because it will not always be Donald Trump who is the target."

He continues:

"If Republicans wish to fix it — and they ought to — they need to start now. You don’t ignore the cracks in a bridge because you happen to dislike the person who is currently driving over it. You get on the case immediately. Trump or no Trump, the GOP needs to start informing the media that it will no longer play ball unless massive reforms are made. No more Candy Crowleys. No more David Muirs. No more selective fact-checking, absurd framing, or glaring double-standards. If the press can manage that, it gets to play dress-up again. Until then, though, the game ought to be over." 

 

 

 

 

This Week's Picks Week Three

 

 

In case you didn't hear, Disney is in a spat with Direct TV which AT&T owns and somehow this means we can't watch ESPN on our Uverse, which is not Direct TV but is owned by AT&T.

Because of that, I (as of press time) am unable to watch College GameDay which is one of the best shows on television, because I have Uverse. 

College GameDay is about four hours long, when it could  be easily 30 minutes. That's okay because we can see Patrick McAfee act like King Dingus Face.

The others on the panel are Desmond Howard, who has won just about every award possible except the Nobel Prize. Kirk Herbstreit, a former Ohio State quarterback, who brings  his dog to the game.  Rece Davis is the anchor.  Lee Corso, who used to coach Navy and Indiana (not at the same time) gives his prediction on who will win the BIG GAME by wearing a BIG Head of the team he thinks will win.  Into this, Patrick McAfee has been dumped in with the new kid on the show, Nick Saban.  Nick Saban is a great football coach. Not so great TV personality.

One of my favorite parts of the show is when they decide it would be a good idea if everybody would just burst out into tears over a touching human interest story. Somebody's brother gets hit by a car. Mom comes down with some dreaded disease.  Sister's favorite show gets taken off of Netflix.  Whatever.

My favorite was about a running back's father, who had never seen the running back play football. The reason:  dear old dad was in jail for armed robbery. So this one game, after Dad had served his time, Dad was able to see his son play. Of course, the son suffered a career ending ACL tear on the second play of the game. Hey, don't do the crime if you can't do the time.  

This Week's Picks!

 

Jawja vs. Kenyucky: UGA took care of bidness last week and faces its first SEC opponent, Kentucky. Kentucky lost to the Chickens last week, so there's that. UGA wins.

Bumbles vs VMI:  I should have known that when I got on the Georgia Tech bandwagon, it would careen into a ditch. Sorry, guys.  Tech rebounds against VMI this weekend. Tech wins. 

Bamy vs. Weskahnson:  Another SEC-Big Ten match-up that is so popular this year.  Even without Coach Nick, Alabama is a good team, while Wisconsin is okay.  Alabama wins. 

Ellesyou vs Chickens:  LSU is heading to Columbia to play the Fighting Game Birds.  South Carolina won last week. Hmmm, they won't this week. LSU wins. 

 

My Beloved Owls vs San Jose State:   Kennesaw State plays the oldest public university on the West Coast.  San Jose State has some notable alumni.  Both Smothers Brothers, the rhythm section of Creedence Clearwater Revival, Stevie Nicks and Lyndsey Buckingham, and two Doobie Brothers. Yes, all these famous people knew the way to San Jose (I was legally obligated to use that line.)  Owls win.

This Week's Picks Week 2

 

 

Here's a fun fact.  The Florida State Seminoles haven't won a game since Joe Biden was a candidate for President.

They lost 63-3 to Georgia on December 30, 2023.

They lost 24-21 to Georgia Tech on August 24, 2024.

They lost 23-13 to Boston College on September 2, 2024.

Someone who calls himself "Dogwood Maple," posted this on Reddit:

• Florida State has lost three consecutive games.
• In their last seven quarters, Florida State has scored two touchdowns.
• Entering the season, Florida State had won 15 straight games as a double-digit favorite. They've now lost two in a row (-10.5 vs. Georgia  Tech, -16.5 vs. Boston College).
• Boston College has won its ACC opener for the first time since 2020.
• And their first season opener since 2021.
• For the first time since 2021, Florida State starts the season 0-2.
• Florida State is just the third FBS team in the last 45 years to  lose its first two games of the season as a double-digit favorite
• Boston College snapped a five-game losing streak to Florida State  with this win. The Seminoles had also won 12 of 13 before tonight.
• In two games, Florida State has allowed 453 rushing yards.
• This was Boston College's first win in Tallahassee since 2008.
• In two games for Florida State, D.J. Uiagalelei is averaging 6.7 yards per attempt with 1 TD and 1 INT.
• Florida State's RBs had just eight carries tonight.
• In the Seminoles' last three games, they've been outscored 115-37.
• 2024 FSU is the fourth AP Top 10 team to start 0-2 in the last 10  seasons.  (2022 Notre Dame, 2020 Penn State, 2017 Florida State)
• This season, ranked teams are 18-2 vs. unranked opponents.  Florida State has both losses.
• Florida State's 21 rushing yards tonight are their lowest since 2018.
• For the first time since 2017, Florida and Florida State both lost their season openers.
• Boston College outrushed Florida State 263-21 tonight.
• Boston College QB Thomas Castellanos completed one pass of at least 15 air yards tonight.
• In his last four games, D.J. Uiagalelei has 2 TD and 4 INT

 

I guess they won't have to worry about being left out of the College Football Playoff this year.

 

This Week's Picks!

 

 

Jawja vs. Tech of Tennessee: Well, Georgia picked up where it left off last season, opening a can of whoop-up on a major ACC team. Georgia takes a breather this week. Georgia wins.

 

Big Bad Bees vs. Sarah Cues: I have really thought about it. No, make that: I have really prayed about it. Georgia Tech is a very good team, and I wouldn't be surprised if they won the ACC this year and make it into the 12-team playoff.  No, this is not some elaborate way to deliver the dreaded Manis Jinx.  Tech wins.

 

 

Texsas vs Mechigan: This is a big woop-de-do game. Two legacy powers. I just think Texas is better. I hope I'm right. Texas wins. 

 

Chickens vs Kenyucky:  Last week, Kentucky won a weather-shortened game. South Carolina held on to beat Old Dominion.  I am going out of a limb and picking The Chickens. They at least played four quarters. South Carolina wins. 

My Beloved Owls vs. Louisana: Kennesaw State played well in its first FBS contest and has drawn another formidable opponent. Louisiana used to be known as Southwest Louisiana University and is located in Layfette, smack dap in the heart of Cajun Country. That's why they are known as the Ragin' Cajuns. It is the second-largest school in Louisiana. The late great Richard Simmons is an alumnus. I'm still with my Owl. Heart of head: Owls win. 

 

 

Ride

 

One day, after twenty-five years
Head of service at the local Sears
Helen Walker put her pencil down and walked away
And all they found was a little note
'Adios' was all she wrote
But as she left, someone heard her say

"Gonna buy me a ticket to the end of the line
Wanna feel the air, breathe the countryside
As long as those wheels keep rollin', I'll be satisfied
Gonna ride, ride, ride"   (Robert Earl Keen)

This is an important day for me.  It is my last day of work before I officially retire.

Yes, I am riding off into sunset.

Yes, I am heading out to pasture.

Yes, I am hanging it up.

No more meetings, no more phone calls, no more Zoom calls, and no more TEAMS. As the kids say, if you know you know.

I won't have to ask for time off to go to the doctor or the dentist or have some work done on my car.

Schedule a vacation?  Every day is a vacation!

I can stay up and watch the ball game or a movie if I want to.

Do I feel old?  Honestly, no.

How's my health? Outstanding, no complaints.

Neither one of my parents retired. They just quit working. My dad's reason was due his health and my mom quit because she had to look after my dad. 

I'm happy I can retire. I worked for the health system for almost 22 years and the insurance company for 17 years.  That's not too shabby.

I've gone through 7 Presidents of The United States: Reagan, Bush, Clinton, Bush, Obama, Trump, and Biden.

I've worked in the Open Concept (no cubicles). Two desk cubicles. Quad cubicles.  A cubicle with a door. Finally, I've worked the past six years in my son's old bedroom that is now "my office".

I've worked with many different people from many different areas of the country, and that part has been fun.

But somewhere in the 90's, a school of thought appeared in the business world that said work life should be as miserable as possible. Also known as "The Beatings Will Continue Until Morale Improves" paradigm.

Over the past 30 years, I've experienced some of that. I'd read "Dilbert" in the morning before work and dog gone if it didn't happen at work the same day.

Lay-offs. Natural work teams. "Huddles".  I have been in meetings where leadership said they could replace everyone in the office with people from the bus stop.  ("Johnson, what happened to all the people that used to work here?"  "Sir, I fired them all and decided to hire the people from the bus stop."  "Who is going to train them?"  "D'oh!")

When the insurance company decided to close the office I worked at, they sent the Executive Assistant Senior Vice President of Closing Offices who said, "Well, when you look at the numbers, it was a no brainer".  I'm glad he didn't have to think about it, that would have been bad.

When I started, I did everything manually. Then came the computers.  Now I have a computer with two monitors.

When I started, I had to wear at least a dress shirt, dress slacks, dress shoes, and a tie.  In 1996 everything went from Business Attire to Wal-Mart causal.  I've worn a tie maybe six times since.  Zero times since I've worked from home. 

When I started, people could smoke cigarettes at the desk. Then, they moved it the loading dock. That's where you got all of the good office gossip.  Then they banned it from work forever.

99.9% of the people I've worked with have been real gems.

As people of my generation used to say, it has been real.

Roger Hines, one of my teachers at Wheeler, said you'll sit around your first couple of months of retirement and then you'll go out and get something else because you'll be bored. 

We'll see about that.