List - Republicans & Democrats

Republicans and Democrats are both on the List. They both blame each other for the failures and shortcomings in the United States. The public will join sides and say that either liberals or conservatives are the reason why America is the way it is. In all honesty our country really isn't all that bad. Studies have shown that most people are both liberal and conservative. Why can't there be a meeting point between the two parties? Because they can't come to a resolution together they are both on the List-4-Life. We need the best from both worlds and not just a one sided view.

List - Market Speculation

The other week the President of Iran sent a letter to President Bush. Oil prices dropped somewhere between $3 and $5 based on thoughts that the letter might be friendly to the U.S. The letter wasn't and the price of oil shot right back up. People have been selling stocks based on fears of what the Federal Reserve will do. Fears! That's stupid. Stocks were being sold because of worries about rising interest rates. The buying and selling of stocks and commodities should be based on whether or not the company or commodity is doing well and should not be based on fears, worries, and intangibles. Market speculators will be on the List for life.

The List

The List is something that a couple of friends of mine came up with in college. Its a little hard to explain the List exactly. I will say that anybody and anything can be on the List. You can add people, places, and things to the List. The best way to show you tell you about the List is to show you the List. I'll provide some Listers today.

My Evening Life as an Umpire Pt.2

Last week I was doing a 9 & 10 year old ball game with the Assistant Head Umpire. The home team was down 8 -1 with four minutes left to play in the game. The home team was pitching and needed to get one more out in order to bat. If the home team could score at least 2 runs at the next at bat and keep the visitors from scoring they would've had a chance to tie or win the ball game. The home team choses to switch pitchers with four minutes left instead with no runners on base. The coach from the home team also wants to warm the kid up. I go talk to the other umpire and while we're talking he tells me that he's wasting his time because he can catch up and he only needs one out. If the time runs out before they bat again the game is over. They get the third out but time ran out so the game is called. The coach from the home team walks over and gets in the face of the other umpire. He says, "If I want to waste time switching pitchers or warming a kid up I can do that." He is close enough that I can't stick my arm in between them. The other umpire says,"I was telling the umpire(Me) that time was running out and that....." The coach interupts him and says, "You going to listen to me. You're not talking, I'm talking and you're listening." The umpire throws the coach out and he'd have to sit out the next game. A umpire has control of the field untile he leaves it. Why is it that something so small causes so much conflict? Why do the umpires have to be looked at as cold and heartless? He mistook what was said and got mad at the umpire. Tis isn't Major League Baseball and that coach wasn't Bobby Cox(coach of the Atlanta Braves). He acted out of character in front of he kids and he was the one that looked bad and got upset over nothing.

Iraq War Question

The presidents approval rating it at 33%. How is it that the majority of Americans changed their mind about the president. He said that we were going to Iraq and that we'd be there for a while. He went and we've been there for a while. He said what he was going to do yet he was still elected president. Some people said that they were duped and that he and his administration lied. Of course they did it was obvious that they were doing it at the time. The U.S. government itself said all of the evidence was speculative. A lot of people are now saying that he is not a very competent president. He hasn't changed. But I'm getting off topic. I don't like Bush or his administration but is it right to be upset and angry with Bush & Com considering that they told you what they were going to do even thought the evidence was faulty and known to be faulty? Is it Bush's fault for misleading us or our fault for allowing us to be misled?

Are They Really That Bad?

People just don't like gays and lesbians. People are afraid that they'll screw up their kids and mess up society. The main arguement against gays is that the Bible says that being gay is wrong. People feel that they have to protect their children from the gay man or woman next door. I have a neighbor who has a son that's been gay since I was little. His son had gay friends. I even bought a couple of comic books from the son. They didn't screw me up or turn me gay. I don't feel like all the angaist against gays are necesary. People don't want a gay or lesbian couple to get married. So what!!! That's between the couple, the ministor that married them, and God. If you live in America every man, woman, and child has a right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Same sex marriages are not going to hurt our children or our society.

Immigration: The Companies and Politicians

Immigration is a big issue right now. Yet it shouldn't be. There are several politicians that are trying to pass new immigration laws. Why? We already have laws against illegal immigration in place right now. There isn't a need for new ones. The ones that are currently in place just need to be enforced. People are also complaining about all the jobs that illegal immigrants are getting. These illegal immigrants aren't stealing them or just stumbling over them. Companies both big and small are hiring illegal immigrants. People get mad when an illegal immigrant is working at a warehouse, doing construction work, or cleaning up somewhere. People should get mad at the companies that hire them. Illegals can't work if a company or business doesn't hire or rather "hire" them. I'm not saying that its right for illegals to do what their doing. What I'm saying is that illegals can't do what they do without help. I have two coworkers, one from England and one from India, that immigrated here legally. They went through the hassle of the INS and immigrants from Mexico and South America should too. Enforce the laws that are already in place and go after the companies and business's that are hiring illegal immigrants.

My Evening Life as an Umpire. Part 1

I umpire baseball and softball for boys and girls ages 5 -12. I really enjoy being an umpire. I like what I do and I like interacting with the kids. What I don't like are coaches and parents that don't know the rules for their respective age group or the rules of baseball period. How can a person be the coach of a team and not know the rules. My job is to enforce the rules. Not teach the rules. I don't mind teaching the rules if the coaches will listen. I had a coach yesterday take a little girl out of the game because she was hurt. This coaches pitcher was about to pitch the ball while the girl was still off the field in the dugout. The rule states that if play continues while an injured player is off the field that player must remain out for the rest of the game. I'm thinking about reminding the coach of the situation when the other umpire says I ought to go ahead and remind him. I call time before the pitch and reminded the coach that if play continues that his player would be out for the rest of the game. He asks if he could have time and I said sure. When his player came back out on the field he said the me and the other umpire didn't have to be so ruthless(I've been called worse!). We said that we were following the rules and that's why I came to remind him. Its the coaches responsibility to call time for his player. I said that I came to remind him because his player would have been out for the rest of the game. The coach said that we didn't have to do what we were going to do because they were 9 & 10 year old girls. I told the coach again that I came to him to remind him of what would happen and gave him the opportunity to call time. He still felt that we were wrong for following the rules. I gave the coach time to get his player back on the field and I'm the bad guy. I didn't have to do it as the rule doesn't say that I have to remind a coach due to the fact that he/she should know. Know the rules coaches.