Bears Rant

Ok, if you aren't a sports fan, skip this. Or read it, and be reminded of why you don't care about sports.

The Bears got humiliated by the Packers yesterday 37-3. It was ugly. Absolutely ugly. I don't even know where to start? Trotting out a QB with one leg because your back-up is so useless that you don't want to risk him in the game? (Until there is about 3 minutes left.....why then? Did you really think you were going to overcome the deficiet and come back?)

Or a defense that, not only can it not pressure the quarterback or defend against the pass, it cannot stop the run without committing 8 guys into the "box." 145 yards rushing by a guy who'd been having a crappy year! The front four didn't even get close to touching Rogers (or anybody else this year.) Backup linemen on good teams have more sacks then the entire Bears line COMBINED. COMBINED!!!!! Awful, just awful.

Our corners have apparently forgotten how to cover. Vasher is useless. Yes, he was hurt, but supposedly he's not hurt now, he just can't cover. Tillman would make a great safety, except he's needed as a corner. Mike Brown is a good strong safety, but not so good on coverage, just like Payne...hmm...think that's a problem? Briggs is decent, Urlacher actually showed up a bit which was nice.

The team is a mess. We don't have a number 1 wide reciever. Heck, on good teams we wouldn't even have a number 2 reciever. We didn't dress, DRESS EVEN our #2 running back even though Green Bay is weak against the run and we were going to run a lot against them. (Supposedly.)

Even special teams continued to suck.

Bears fan, get used to this. This is a team in disarray. We have no recievers, no defensive secondary, a defensive line that can't get to the QB, and things aren't looking good for the future. If you think its bad this year, wait til next year. Unless there are some amazing moves in the off-season, or some guys really step it up, well, we could be looking at a dismal future. Dismal.

Thank You

Thanks to all those who have served our country, whether in wartime or peacetime. You have helped keep this country free, and helped to make it what it is today. Never think that because I might have disagreed with what our government has asked you to do at times that I do not support you or thank you for your service.



Everything I could possibly say seems, trite or contrived, but thank you.

Good Luck President Elect Obama

We did it. We elected an African-American president. Wow. Our country still has a ways to go, but this is showing we're at least partway there. Now the hard work begins.

Mr. Obama, you have a nasty, hard job ahead of you. You're inheriting a country that is in many many messes. We're in two wars. Our economy is in the tank. Health care is messed up. Companies are bleeding red. The housing sector is a disaster. Oh, and don't even get started about our foreign policy messes.

Now, do I expect you to fix all this in a year? No. Here is what I do expect:

1). I expect you to work with Congress. Not to be a rubber-stamp like Bush was for much of his Presidency, but to work with them. Force them to make difficult choices, to write pointed legislation, to reign in earmarks. Help the Democrats to learn how to lead, not just try and force through their agenda.

2). Listen to opposing points of view. REALLY listen. Be open to the fact that the way you view something may not be correct. Our current President did not do this. It has harmed this country greatly.

3). Remember we are part of a global economy and a global community. Just because we're rich and powerful does not make us right. It doesn't make us wrong either. But throwing our weight around and ignoring the opinions of other sovereign countries has done us no favors.

4). Make the tough call. Whether this is in foreign policy, domestic choices, whereever. You will be asked to make hard decisions that may be unpopular. Make them. And answer for them. Our country needs a man who can make the difficult calls.

5). Don't stonewall the media. I know there will be spin. There always is. But please, don't lie to us. We've had enough of that. Transparency, as much as possible, is a good thing.

6). Go against your party. They aren't always right. Don't merely become a party hack. I don't think you will, but if you do, I will be sorely disappointed.

I helped to elect you and I will give you plenty of leeway. We have a long ways to go as a nation. But I will be sorely disappointed if things get bogged down halfway through your term because of lack of leadership.

We've had too many years of weak leaders. Both Bush and Clinton were not strong leaders. We need someone to LEAD this nation back to preeminence in the world, both economically and morally.

History is made...

Wow, it happened. We have our first African-American president. Pretty amazing how far we've come. Still have a long ways to go, but Dr MLK could only dream about this day. Barack Obama, with the support of millions of Americans of all races, made the dream come true.

President Elect Obama, please prayerfully consider how to move forward. This country needs strong, smart leadership.


(an observation to all FoxNews watchers: FoxNews is part of the mainstream media. Sorry to burst your bubble.)

The Fear is What Keeps Us Here

Besides being the title of Zao's latest (and final?) album, I think this applies to far too many Americans of the "Religious Right" stripe. Now, I tend to shy away from labels like that because they are too broad and inaccurately portray a large group of people as single-minded in purpose.

However, you know the person I'm talking about. They are currently terrified of Obama being elected. He's a: terrorist, Socialist, Muslim, who is going to: let Israel get destroyed, the tax rate will go up to 50% to support the jobless, Christians will lose their religious freedoms.

I'll be as polite as I can be. SNAP OUT OF IT! Are you a Christian first or an American first? Think carefully before you answer because that answer will affect how you view the situation.

There is such an immense amount of fear surrounding this election, and its sinful. Simply sinful. Do you trust in God? Honestly, truly trust in God? Because if you do, don't you think He can work in any situation? Don't you think that even if the most horrible things imaginable happen, God will still be God and still be sovereign?

Because the sheer amount of fear out there among certain groups of religious voters doesn't lead me to believe this is what's being taught. The wedding of too many Christian organizations to the Republican party has led us to this point. Its no longer "Trust in God." Its "We need a conservative Supreme Court because if we don't the bad evil liberals will steal away all our freedoms." WHAT?

God works in the world no matter who is in charge. Yes, He does.

If you are someone struggling with fear about Obama getting elected, please, pray about it. Lots. This doesn't mean that you can't disagree with his ideas! That's fine! Good even! I don't care if you want to vote for him or not.

I do care that you stop living in fear. God does not desire His children to fear anything but Him.

GM & Chrysler

As merger talks occur (but no comment from the companies of course!) I thought I'd let everyone know what this deal is really about.

NPR was talking with an editor at Edmunds and she said it was pretty much so GM can get Chrysler's cash reserves now, and have more leverage with the Feds to get money from them later. This is a high risk/reward situation. If it works GM gets lots of Fed dollars and stays afloat hemorrhaging money for a few more years. If it doesn't....well, I guess I don't need to worry about coming into work.

Talking to our Chrysler rep the other day he had a good analogy for the situation. Here's how it had been explained to him.

"You own a house and are totally upside down in a bad mortgage. Your neighbor has a bigger house, but is in the same situation. Your neighbor goes to the bank to get a mortgage to buy your house, and then proceeds to burn it down for insurance purposes."

That is, in a bit of an oversimplified nutshell, what GM wants to do. GM wants Chrysler's 10-11 billion in cash reserves. But GM also believes that if they acquire Chrysler (which would involve completely gutting Chrysler and probably all but dissolving the company) they would be more likely to get more loans from the Feds.

Talk about a risky move!

The fortunate thing is that GM's investors may not go for the deal. Cerburus is just looking to get their money so I don't think they care what happens to Chrysler if they get their money back.

Chrysler needs to hook up with a company that can benefit them now and for the future. Teaming up with Nissan or Hyundai would seem to benefit Chrysler and both of their companies by giving them a larger dealer base for pretty much free. Even Renault would be a good thing it seems for the same reason.

I just really hope the GM/Chrysler deal never happens because it is merely a ploy to try and weasel money from the government.

Reese is a prophet

I've been listing to FIF again lately. That's Five Iron Frenzy for those of you not in the know. And you should be in the know. You should be listening to them. Or at least reading their lyrics for some potent social commentary, and plenty of silliness.

American Kryptonite - off "The End is Near" album

Here's my favorite part...

"it was like the manifest destiny all over again, except, instead of taking and consuming everything in their paths for god, they did so with the same fervor and sense of entitlement for their new god...themselves.