Baseball: Happy birthday Willie Randolph. I see your old team, after being whipped, decided to get a bit of revenge via an 11-3 win, helped by some errors by the third basemen [5 UER]. Who had a clutch homer in the playoffs in 2003, served his purpose, and was let go for A-Rod. This included a double steal when they were up 7-1 (the Yankee third base coach once whined when another team, the lowly Orioles known for late collapses, stole a base in a similar situation), which immediately lead to two more runs.
Meanwhile, the Mets scored five runs in the first, had a strike out/throw out double play, and proceeded not to get another hit! They run, since El Duque (after tossing six straight balls) pitched great (though he didn't want to pitch more than seven, forcing Willie to use more pen), but talk about tossing a switch! Oh, and Tampa Bay swept the Red Sox. Ah, baseball. This was after the manager recently reminded the team that All Star Break was not for a few days, recent team play notwithstanding. Also, a day after the closer had his 300th save, noting afterwards (with an accent as strong as a Confederate general, if with less facial hair) he was not as good as he hoped to be the first half. Fair appraisal, surely All Star berth per the manager's loyal suggestion, probably is not appropriate.
Credit Cards: One reason I did not have sympathy for credit card companies during the bankruptcy debate is their pandering ways. I repeatedly get offers to get another credit card or access checks; one company even includes a $1500 amount on the first check, tempting me, almost begging me, to charge more money. Spending limits of as much of $30K! Come on, Joe! Become a debtor!
And, if you try to declare bankruptcy after you actually charge all that money, well you are a little weasel. Just trying to game the system. You know, especially if you lost your job, had a major injury, suffered identity theft (on that, my credit card was good), or whatnot. Oh, and you can have a free look at your credit history ... well, I finally asked for that, and never received it. Blah.
Pure Assholery: When someone dies, including those whose actions hurt the lives of many people, it is natural to hope their family is doing well and so forth. One would say this without much emotion, though perhaps it would be hard to bring forth much sympathy for someone whose crimes killed the chance of a comfortable retirement of thousands of hardworking Americans. [The remaining funds of whom now perhaps less able to be seized for the good of the people.]
And, perhaps, you would add that it is unclear what more you should say, since you really do not know the person -- people die all the time after all, and you really cannot be assumed to care too deeply about them. Have too much emotional connection and so forth. This would be the case perhaps, well perhaps not, if an "acquaintance" was the person who died. After all, even if you only knew the person somewhat, you probably would have something nice to say, etc., especially if you had a nice pet nickname for the person and all.
For many years, Enron was the single biggest contributor to President Bush, who rewarded him with the nickname "Kenny Boy." But White House spokesman Tony Snow refused to even acknowledge the two were friends yesterday.
"No, the President has described Ken Lay as an acquaintance, and many of the President's acquaintances have passed on during his time in office," Snow said.
-- RIP Ken ... whoever you are
This was in response for a comment on the President's feelings on the death of Kenneth Lay, to which Snowjob said he could only give his own thoughts, since he did not have those of the President. And, finally, wondered what was he supposed to say. The reporter than noted that "well, he's the President's friend ..." and the question is rather boilerplate after someone dies, etc. But, for cynical political reasons, we can not get too close to people like Lay, can we, even by supplying basic humane words after they die.
At least, if we are assholes.