Football: Now, I don't know what one of the Giants' players was smoking when he predicted a combined final score of around forty (it is not out of the realm of possibility, though it would likely be bad, that one team got that ... the Giants lost last time 38-35). Still, putting aside a decent number of positive predictions by the NY Daily News (biased? nah!), one can fairly say that the Giants have a shot. I guess you can't really ask for too much more, given the Pats record. One radio newsbreak noted that most think the Pats will win, but want the Giants to do so. Sounds like a possible political metaphor. Darn, I want those guys too lose a damn game ... and no, next season won't quite do it.
Politics: I'm getting sick of Thom Hartmann blaming Reagan for everything. Reagan is like this malevolent force, who is the source of much of our ills. He took the solar panels off the White House roof. He stopped enforcing the antitrust act, including in respect to television news. He caused us to hate government. And, so on. It is a sort of a reverse of the Republican candidates making him into their patron saint. As shown by the Bush Dogs of the present, no one person, even one party, causes problems. The deregulation Reagan favored, for instance, started in the Carter years. Life is a tad bit more complicated -- and TH must deep down know it.
Meanwhile, he also isn't sure who to vote for -- Clinton or Obama. Hmm. TM repeatedly is concerned about the excesses of corporations, free trade and money in politics. But, hey, nothing wrong (though, you know, he favored Edwards) with a DLC candidate that supports a conservative leaning foreign policy to boot. He supported all of the three major candidates and argues that progressives will push them into being for the people. McCain, the likely candidate, will be a tough one though. And, Pelosi (sadly, in his eyes) is letting Blue Dogs let the tail wag the dog because they hold the balance of power. But, the candidate will you know go to the left. Surely. Just look at Bill Clinton, you know. Oh wait.
And, what is with Rachel Maddow repeatedly suggesting the Democratic primary/caucus voters are perfectly fine with Hillary? I'm not perfectly fine with her. I overheard another guy who was speaking about how important it was to give to Obama's campaign, how if she was the nominee that it would be hard to get up the incentive to be passionate about someone he felt basically not much different from McCain. Various callers, even to Maddow's own show (she a few times opened the phone lines), expressed the same sentiment. There is a clear let's say 1/3 that simply is not crazy about her. Some find it hard to stomach having to settle for her in November, even though most realize (doesn't make them happy about it) they might need to do so.
You can also see it in the blogs. The attempt by people whose politics are kosher to ignore the fact advances my depression of the pabulum we will be forced to eat, while people insist we should be ecstatic because deliverance has arrived. In fact, RM is not totally happy with her. She noted that HC's attempt in the latest debate to justify her 10/02 war vote was offensive. Well, yeah. And, many Obama supporters totally agree, and some quite honestly despise such things. She has some political experience now and is still a Democrat, who would do some good things. But, no, I still am not crazy about her.
Recycle: Twice I came across efforts to supply recycle cans, shiny new deals, that were instead used for regular trash. Now, I don't know how useful in the end recycling is on its own -- the core problem probably is industrial trash, and some types of recyclables are most likely not very useful. All that newspaper, cardboard and aluminum probably has some value though, and the effort itself seems to be of some use as well. Besides, if such bins are set up, it is just plain polite to follow the rules. Don't be a slob and throw in regular garbage. Sometimes, the little things matter. If you can't take the effort to do them, it is pretty pathetic.
Remember that on Sunday, guys. Finally, it is sort of annoying that the SB is on Sunday Night. The weekend is 3/4 over when it starts, and if it ends badly, the whole weekend ends on a downer note. If the Giants win, ala the Brooklyn Dodgers that special year, they really should make Monday a holiday ... at least for the tristate area.