There's No Joy in Mudville

The Outlook wasn't brilliant for the Mudville nine that day:
The score stood four to two, with but one inning more to play.
And then when Cooney died at first, and Barrows did the same,
A sickly silence fell upon the patrons of the game.

A straggling few got up to go in deep despair. The rest
Clung to that hope which springs eternal in the human breast;
They thought, if only Casey could get but a whack at that -
We'd put up even money, now, with Casey at the bat.

But Flynn preceded Casey, as did also Jimmy Blake,
And the former was a lulu and the latter was a cake;
So upon that stricken multitude grim melancholy sat,
For there seemed but little chance of Casey's getting to the bat.

But Flynn let drive a single, to the wonderment of all,
And Blake, the much despis-ed, tore the cover off the ball;
And when the dust had lifted, and the men saw what had occurred,
There was Jimmy safe at second and Flynn a-hugging third.

Then from 5,000 throats and more there rose a lusty yell;
It rumbled through the valley, it rattled in the dell;
It knocked upon the mountain and recoiled upon the flat,
For Casey, mighty Casey, was advancing to the bat.

There was ease in Casey's manner as he stepped into his place;
There was pride in Casey's bearing and a smile on Casey's face.
And when, responding to the cheers, he lightly doffed his hat,
No stranger in the crowd could doubt 'twas Casey at the bat.

Ten thousand eyes were on him as he rubbed his hands with dirt;
Five thousand tongues applauded when he wiped them on his shirt.
Then while the writhing pitcher ground the ball into his hip,
Defiance gleamed in Casey's eye, a sneer curled Casey's lip.

And now the leather-covered sphere came hurtling through the air,
And Casey stood a-watching it in haughty grandeur there.
Close by the sturdy batsman the ball unheeded sped-
"That ain't my style," said Casey. "Strike one," the umpire said.

From the benches, black with people, there went up a muffled roar,
Like the beating of the storm-waves on a stern and distant shore.
"Kill him! Kill the umpire!" shouted someone on the stand;
And its likely they'd a-killed him had not Casey raised his hand.

With a smile of Christian charity great Casey's visage shone;
He stilled the rising tumult; he bade the game go on;
He signaled to the pitcher, and once more the spheroid flew;
But Casey still ignored it, and the umpire said, "Strike two."

"Fraud!" cried the maddened thousands, and echo answered fraud;
But one scornful look from Casey and the audience was awed.
They saw his face grow stern and cold, they saw his muscles strain,
And they knew that Casey wouldn't let that ball go by again.

The sneer is gone from Casey's lip, his teeth are clenched in hate;
He pounds with cruel violence his bat upon the plate.
And now the pitcher holds the ball, and now he lets it go,
And now the air is shattered by the force of Casey's blow.

Oh, somewhere in this favored land the sun is shining bright;
The band is playing somewhere, and somewhere hearts are light,
And somewhere men are laughing, and somewhere children shout;
But there is no joy in Mudville - mighty Casey has struck out.

Casey at the Bat by Ernest Lawrence Thayer

Thoughts on Fans and Other Ramblings

So, those of us that are paying attention to such things as baseball at this time of the year know that the Brewers currently reside 3 games behind the Cubs for the NL Central lead. Winner takes all, as their records aren't good enough to contend for the Wild Card playoff spot.

You can see from my signature that I live in Milwaukee, but am a Cubs fan. Odd mix, eh? (I'm also a Bear fan from Green Bay!) I love the Brewers, but have always been a die-hard Cubs fan. It was a whole lot easier when the Brewers were in the AL, believe me.

I understand rivalries, etc, as I am a huge sports fan, and fully realize that my Cubs fandom crosses several "lines" about "where you're from and who you are fan of" rules. Again, let's just say my family and I disagree heavily about football. But I do have a problem with all of the fans giving each other the business about it. I'm not a trash talker, and I don't necessarily like it. Frankly, the fans shouldn't have a lot to say because the games aren't in their control. But over the last few years I've noticed that the rivalry between the Cubs and Brewers has gotten increasingly nasty. I've been to games vs the Cubs at Miller Park, and against the Brewers at Wrigley. I'll tell ya...the Cubs fans were NOT nice when they come up to Milwaukee. They're loud, obnoxious, rude, and think they own the place. Rather embarrassing actually. This is however, not to say that the Brewers fans were innocent; far from it. They were just as loud, rude, and obnoxious toward the Cubs fans, when they weren't that way towards the fans of other teams. A lot of incidents were provoked on both sides. It was a few years ago when I was at Wrigley when the Cubs faced the Brewers (and neither team was that good at the time), but I distinctly remember that the fans were well behaved...they didn't get on each other to the point of coming to blows (like they do in Milwaukee), but there was obviously still some razzing.

Familiarity really does breed contempt. I'm not passing judgment on whose fans are better. Both teams have a LOT of really knowledgeable fans. I don't know anyone who is a bigger Brewers fan than my best friend, Mike, who is extremely knowledgeable not just about the Brewers, but all of Baseball.

Let's all use our heads and not our mouths this week. Enough name calling and bad feelings. No matter who wins the NL Central, one teams fan base is going to be upset. If the Cubs win, the Brewers fans will be extremely upset. Someone said to me today: "anyone but the Cubs. I can stomach anyone beating us, except the Cubs." I hear ya. Cubs fans don't want to give up their 3 game lead to their neighbors to the north either. I predict increasing hostilities on both sides in the coming years.

Regardless, it will be a great week of baseball!!! All of the races in the NL and one in the AL are still up for grabs. I'll have to revisit my predictions from the beginning of the season as to whom would be the playoff teams. Somehow, I don't think I did too poorly.

Other random thought: Moved into a new office this week in downtown Milwaukee. Beautiful, just beautiful. The commute, not so much, but nearly everything else is really nice. I also got a promotion at the beginning of the month, so I'm adjusting to the new role. It's not a huge change from what I was doing, but large enough.

Gonzales Resigns

Breaking News: Attorney General Alberto Gonzales has resigned.

If true, this is REALLY good news...albeit too late for the Country.

Happy Harry Day!

No, not hairy, HARRY POTTER!!! Unless you've been living under a rock for the last few weeks, you would know that today the seventh and final Harry Potter book is released, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.

Well, it was released at 12:01 AM last night, and as of this writing (1:30 PM), I am still awaiting the delivery of my book, "patiently." Actually, I'm pretty furious that it's not here yet...

I'm doing my best not to read any online reviews, and pretty much just not watch any news...but I'm so anxious to dive into the book that I'm literally pacing around. I know, I'm a nerd. At least the Cubs game is on...

7-7-07

Luckiest day in recent memory? Congrats to all of you who are "taking the plunge" today. Best of luck to you.

Either way, it's pretty cool when the dates line up like that. I don't know that 7 holds any special significance for me, but it is considered by pretty much everyone to be the luckiest number.

Happy belated 4th of July to everyone, as well.

Go Cubs!!!

Sorry, just had to put in a plug for my boys in blue for the weekend series in Chicago against the Brewers.

The Cubs had a wild win on Friday (Hear the calls: radio & TV), but back-pedaled yesterday, losing 13-4.

Rubber-match Sunday at 1:20.

May Day

Senator Feingold today on the 4th Anniversary of "Mission Accomplished:"

“The four-year anniversary of “mission accomplished” comes on the heels of one of the deadliest months since our invasion of Iraq. The anniversary reminds us that we shouldn’t give credence to an Administration that has made such disastrous mistakes in Iraq. Congress should listen to the American people and not an Administration that has been so wrong, and so dishonest, so many times. The President should acknowledge the will of the American people and sign the Iraq spending bill Congress is sending him today.”

Four years ago, Bush stood on the deck of an aircraft carrier and proclaimed that the violence in Iraq was over, that all major missions were completed, and that the "war" was won. How wrong he was...and even more wrong was our good-puppy press lapping it up, and proclaiming that we'd won..."they" lost. The only people that won are Bush and his cronies, that continue to profit off of the lives of our soldiers. They blatantly lied to the nation and mislead us into a never ending conflict. Bush: sign the withdrawal bill. Do something right for a change, without thinking only of your donors and those who stand to profit from the death and carnage in the Middle East.

Update (7PM): Seems Bush vetoed it anyways.

Happy Greatest Day of the Year!

Happy Greatest Day of the Year!

Today marks the beginning of baseball season, and the NCAA Championship game.

In the NCAA Championship, I'm picking Florida, even though I want both teams to lose...I can't stand either.

In baseball, GO CUBS!!! GO BREWERS!!! Chicago opens up today at 1:10 in Cincinnati, and the Brewers have their home opener against the Dodgers at 1:05.

For Division winners, I'm picking the Red Sox, Tigers, Angels, and Yankees as the Wild Card in the AL. In the NL, I'm picking the Mets, Cubs, Dodgers, and Phillies as the Wild Card.

Let the games begin on this, the happiest day of the year!!!

Eye of Newt

This is unfortunately not an April Fools joke, but it involves a Fool.

Newt Gingrich wants to abolish bilingual education. Yes, even today, in this growing global economy, he wants to handicap future generations from communicating with others around the world.

From 1995: "In 1995, for example, he said bilingualism poses "long-term dangers to the fabric of our nation" and that "allowing bilingualism to continue to grow is very dangerous."

And today: "The American people believe English should be the official language of the government. ... We should replace bilingual education with immersion in English so people learn the common language of the country and they learn the language of prosperity, not the language of living in a ghetto," Gingrich said to cheers from the crowd of more than 100." (My emphasis added)

I admit I'm a bit biased because my Mother is a Spanish teacher, and I majored in Spanish in College (one of my 2 degrees). This is just a mean-spirited idea, throttling inclusiveness and throwing us into isolationism.

Quote of the Day

"That's the problem with this president. This president isn't moved by anything except his own head. The Constitution says the Congress has the power of the purse. The Constitution doesn't make him king. . . . The president needs to understand the days of having a rubber-stamp Congress are over."

-Appropriations Committee Chair Dave Obey of Wausau (D - WI)

[Bravo to the House for passing the 2008 withdrawal plan. That took some big stones.]

Five Votes

For those of you that know me at all, or have ever looked at my blog, you know that I bleed Cubbie Blue.

And I bleed more for Ron Santo than any other Cub.

Maybe it's the fact that we're both Type I Diabetics. Maybe it's the fact that he played his ass off with a disease that KILLS, and he had one of the five best third base careers in MLB HISTORY.

But today, the HoF Veterans committee voted no one in. No one...for the 6th year in a row (they vote every two years). Santo was the closest with 57 of the needed 62 votes to get in.

I will echo Al's comments: Anyone on that committee who didn't vote for Santo should be immediately kicked out of the Hall. Bar none.

Bear Down Chicago Bears!

The Chicago Bears have returned to the Super Bowl after a 21 year absence. [Tribune]

This will date me, but I was only 6+ years old when my Bears made it to Super Bowl XX in 1986 (I turned 7 in June that year), but I've always held an unquenchable passion for the team. They did the "Shuffle" then, and I hope they can win another title now.

I can't wait to see the Bears match up against the Colts for Super Bowl XLI.

From the 1941 fight song:

Bear down, Chicago Bears, make every play clear the way to victory;
Bear down, Chicago Bears, put up a fight with a might so fearlessly.
We'll never forget the way you thrilled the nation with your T-formation.
Bear down, Chicago Bears, and let them know why you're wearing the crown.
You're the pride and joy of Illinois, Chicago Bears, bear down.

Life

Hello again, it's your friendly neighborhood Ben PAC.

Sorry that I've been away so long. Life seems to get in the way of a good post, sometimes. I'm not announcing my "return" or anything of the like, but just an update, if you will.

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas/Holiday break. It was nice to not have to get up at 5:30 and rush off to work the day after Christmas, I'll tell you that!

Work has been just insane of late. I've taken on new responsibilities for the same amount of pay, or rather, more stress and anxiety for nothing added. I'm not trying to complain, it is what it is...I just wish that these companies that are trying to "do more with less" would actually recognize those that work hard for them everyday.

Home life is grand. The new house is coming along...it's still standing, so we're ok. It was very nice to finally get my office organized, and get the rec room somewhat in order while on break.

Our daughter is doing wonderfully. She's now 14 1/2 months old, and into everything. I almost miss the days when I could walk out of the room that she was in for a moment and not come back to find it destroyed. She's very into pictures and books.

My best friend and I are brewing beer again! I'm very excited about this. We just made an Irish Red, and are going to make a MaiBock coming soon.

I wanted to say good bye and good luck to Brewtown Politico. You will be sorely missed. It was you (and a few others) who inspired me to start blogging, and to find my voice in the din of the blog world. Thank you.

Like I said, this wasn't intended to be "my return." It is just an update. I do want to begin posting more frequently again, but time has just not allowed it of late. By the time I get home from my 9+ hour day at work, I'm quite exhausted, and would rather play with my daughter than blog or be anywhere near a computer, for that matter.

Until then, GO BEARS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

Sorry, I'm a nerd, but the title for the 7th, and final Harry Potter book was revealed today by author J.K. Rowling to be: "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows." [CNN] [Yahoo]

You can take Scholastic at their word, or go to the authors site, and try this:

"If you go to her home page, click on the eraser and you will be taken to a room -- you'll see a window, a door and a mirror.In the mirror, you'll see a hallway. Click on the farthest doorknob and look for the Christmas tree. Then click on the center of the door next to the mirror and a wreath appears. Then click on the top of the mirror and you'll see a garland.Look for a cobweb next to the door. Click on it, and it will disappear. Now, look at the chimes in the window. Click on the second chime to the right, and hold it down. The chime will turn into the key, which opens the door. Click on the wrapped gift behind the door, then click on it again and figure out the title yourself by playing a game of hangman."

Most readers are now fearing for our heroes' life. I for one feel that Harry will somehow make it through this, but many do not. I can't wait for the book to come out!

Glitter

Ok, so now that the Christmas/Holiday/Kwanzaa/Hanukkah, et al, season is upon us, I would like to air a gripe.

Why does every f-*ing card have to be bathed in glitter??? I can't even tell you how high this is on my "things that piss Ben off" list.

So, I'm starting a petition. Leave a comment if you so desire.

I, the undersigned, hereby boycott and vow to malign all forms of glitter, that substance being so nicknamed whore or stripper-dust, or the bane of all existence. Any item received during this joyous holiday season that contains even a fleck of said glitter, will be immediately shunned, and all cards immediately burned. Those that support the giving and/or use of glitter will be stoned.

I, the undersigned, do solemnly swear, this 18th day of December, 2006:
Ben

Win One for Bob

Time to win one for Bob.

UW-Whitewater faces Mount Union in the Division III Title Game on ESPN (3 PM Central). Whitewater head coach Bob Berezowitz will be retiring after the game.

Go UW-W! Since this is my alma mater, I'll be pulling hard for my beloved Warhawks!

Game Preview UW-W coverage

SENATOR Feingold

A letter from Russ:

"Dear Friends and Supporters,

On Sunday, November 12^th in Racine, I will hold my 1000^th Listening Session with the people of Wisconsin. Before reaching that milestone, I want you to know that I've decided to continue my role as Wisconsin's Junior Senator in the U.S. Senate and not to seek the Democratic nomination for President in 2008.

Like many Americans, I am excited by the results of the November 7^th election. My fourteen years in the Senate have been the greatest privilege of my life and I am extremely pleased with what we have accomplished. During so much of that time, however, we Democrats have not only been in the minority but have often been so deeply mired there that my role has often been to block bad ideas or to simply dissent. That is a very important role but I relish the thought that in this new Congress we can start, not only to undo much of the damage that one-party rule has done to America, we can actually advance progressive solutions to such major issues as guaranteed healthcare, dependence on oil, and our unbalanced trade policies. The Senate of the 110^th Congress could also well be a place of greater bi-partisan opportunities for change; something I am very proud to have been effective at in both Republican and Democratic Senates.

I hope all of you know how much I have appreciated the incredible response you have given me and the efforts of our Progressive Patriots Fund since January, 2005. In addition to all of our work in Wisconsin and D.C., I have traveled to seventeen states trying to promote the election of progressive Democrats in all states. At every stop from Birmingham, Alabama to Burlington, Vermont, to Ft. Dodge, Iowa, to Las Vegas, Nevada, people have agreed with my view that we need to stand up for a strong, principled Democratic party that is willing to replace timidity with taking the risks of promoting a platform of bold solutions to our nation's problems. Unfailingly, people responded well to my positions: opposition to the Iraq war; calling for a timeline to redeploy our troops from Iraq so we can focus on those who attacked us on September 11^th, 2001; my opposition to the flawed provisions of the USA Patriot Act that threaten the freedoms of law-abiding Americans; my call for accountability for the Administration's arrogant disregard for the law especially with regard to illegal wiretapping; fighting for fiscal responsibility including tough common sense budget rules that will help end the reckless policies that have heaped a mountain of debt on our children and grandchildren; as well as my strong belief in guaranteed healthcare for all Americans and substantial investment in alternative energy sources and technologies.

Yet, while I've certainly enjoyed the repeated comments or buttons saying, "Run Russ Run", or "Russ in '08", I often felt that if a piece of Wisconsin swiss cheese had taken the same positions I've taken, it would have elicited the same standing ovations. This is because the hunger for progressive change we feel is obviously not about me but about the desire for a genuinely different Democratic Party that is ready to begin to reverse the 25 years of growing extremism we have endured.

I'm sure a campaign for President would have been a great adventure and helpful in advancing a progressive agenda. At this time, however, I believe I can best advance that progressive agenda as a Senator with significant seniority in the new Senate serving on the Foreign Relations, Intelligence, Judiciary and Budget Committees. Although I have given it a lot of thought, I cannot muster the same enthusiasm for a race for President while I am trying simultaneously to advance our agenda in the Senate. In other words, if I really wanted to run for President, regardless of the odds or other possible candidates, I would do so. However, to put my family and all of my friends and supporters through such a process without having a very strong desire to run, seems inappropriate to me. And, yes, while I would strongly prefer that our nominee in 2008 be someone who had the judgment to oppose the Iraq war from the beginning, I am prepared to work as hard as I can through the Progressive Patriots Fund, and consistent with my duties in the Senate, to maintain or increase our gains from November 7 in the Congress and, of course, to elect a Democrat as President in 2008.

Most important, I want to continue my work as a Senator from this wonderful State of Wisconsin. Our fourteen year ongoing conversation that has taken place in hundreds of communities in Wisconsin in the form of open Listening Sessions is the principal reason I have been perceived as "ahead of the curve" on many key issues. Simply listening to the reasoning and passions of Wisconsinites remains the best source of good ideas and common sense I've ever encountered.

I love this country very much and am so lucky to be able to serve it in the United States Senate. My heartfelt thanks to all of you for your support and encouragement."

My Recommendations for Tuesday

I won't call them "Endorsements" because they would carry all of the weight of a paper hammer. Instead, they are recommendations on how I hope these races turn out.

Governor:
I urge you to support for reelection, Governor Jim Doyle. He has turned around a huge budget deficit, and has done a competent job in Madison. He's not perfect, he's not all that inspiring. But, his commitment to Education, something of utmost importance to me, and our futures, sets him FAR above challenger Mark Green.

House, 5th District:
I urge you to support Bryan Kennedy over incumbent F. Jim Sensenbrenner. Sensenbrenner is a partisan hack, who when challenged, takes his toys and goes home. Support a real change, vote Bryan Kennedy.

House, 8th District:
Kagen. Why? Vote Kagen. Gard is a pinched, self-serving, you-know-what. Can't stand him. Oh, and I'm qualified to say this because this is my home district. I grew up in the Green Bay area, and I know the people there. I still have a LOT of family up there. Kagen is the only choice in this race.

AG:
Does it really matter? Seriously. Van Hollen doesn't understand what the job is, and Falk is, according to Van Hollen, underqualified. Vote Falk.

Marriage Amendment:
Vote NO! VOTE NO!!! A Fair Wisconsin votes NO! This is such a backwards attempt at criminalizing something that is already illegal. Who the hell cares if someone is gay? Who the hell cares what they do with their lives? They should be afforded all of the same conveniences and legalities that everyone else is. I seem to remember something in an important National document that states "all men are created equal." I guess the Republicans didn't get that memo.

Death Penalty:
Vote NO! Vehemently, and without shame, vote NO. This is another attempt to turn Wisconsin's clock back to the "good old days" of 1850. It's called rehabilitation people.

Howard-Suamico Schools Referendum(s):
Vote YES and YES. Most of you in the Milwaukee area don't know anything about this one, but I do. The first question is to build a new, sorely-needed elementary school in Suamico, and the second is to do improvements on existing buildings. The district is expanding at an alarming rate, as families move out of the cities to the quiet "suburbs." Vote YES and YES to ensure that these kids have a classroom to go to every day.

There are many other races that I could profile, but haven't the time at this point. This should get you started anyway. I know, big surprise, I recommended the Democratic ticket. I don't hide my allegiances, and will flat out say right now that I REALLY hope the Dems take back both the House and Senate, and we can get back to doing the business of this country, rather than just for big business.

Happy Birthday, Keira!

Happy Birthday to the greatest daughter that anyone could ever ask for.

Support Bryan Kennedy on November 7th

Pardon me for being so incredulous, but what happened to the JS? Did the Editorial staff grow a conscience overnight?

Today, they endorsed Bryan Kennedy for the 5th Congressional district, over F. Jim Sensenbrenner. You can read the endorsement here. Here are some highlights:

"Two years ago, we recommended Jim Sensenbrenner for another term representing Wisconsin's 5th Congressional District. Today, we simply cannot. Sensenbrenner has been wrong on too much, from an immigration policy that puts him at odds with much of his own party and the business community to failure to exert meaningful oversight over White House domestic spying policies."

"Sensenbrenner was wrong on immigration. His enforcement-only plan included making felons of undocumented immigrants and a useless 700-mile fence that will do nothing to solve this national problem. Worse for Republicans, his obstinacy split his own party and cost it a rare opportunity to significantly broaden its base. Sensenbrenner was wrong on the USA Patriot Act. We need many of its provisions in this era of terrorism, but the version he championed strode upon the liberty of every American. Sensenbrenner was wrong on Real ID, which will cost states millions of dollars to implement and which fixed something that wasn't broken. Sensenbrenner was wrong not to dig deeper into the National Security Agency's domestic spying program. Sensenbrenner sent a letter to Attorney General Alberto Gonzales but didn't bother with the real spade work. Sensenbrenner was wrong to waste taxpayers' money by taking more than $160,000 in junkets since 1994, not to mention the more than $200,000 in world travel paid for by lobbyists and think tanks over the past six years. Sensenbrenner was wrong to push bills that would make it harder for police agencies to track illegal guns and to crack down on rogue gun dealers. Sensenbrenner was wrong to indict Milwaukee as "fast becoming the murder capital of the U.S." and wrong to lash out at Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett, calling him a "crybaby" for having the brass to criticize Congress. It's but one example of the congressman's increasingly belligerent and unproductive tone."

Sensenbrenner is just wrong. Please support Bryan Kennedy on November 7th.