Political

Big Day Tomorrow

Tomorrow is the big day. Those who haven’t already voted will be at the polls. We’ll wait to see if we’re doomed for the next four years. Of course, whoever the next president is, some people will say we’re doomed, while others will say we’re not. But this election year seems more heated than any I remember. I almost think a civil war will start tomorrow night.

Anyway, vote however you want. Don’t let the political bullies shame you into voting their way. I saw people accusing third party voters of sexism, claiming the third party voters  don’t want to vote for a woman. That’s a crock of shit. A lot of people are voting for the Green Party. That’s Jill Stein. Hillary Clinton isn’t the only woman on the ballot.

Vote however you want. Vote Democrat, Republican or any of the third parties, whatever feels right to you, and let everyone vote how they want to vote.

Books, Reviews

Heart-Shaped Box, by Joe Hill

510wu8jwz-l__sx330_bo1204203200_It’s hard to read Joe Hill‘s Heart-Shaped Box without thinking about the Nirvana song with the same name, but I suspect that’s what Hill intended. This book mentions several rock stars and bands. Hell, the lead character’s dogs are named after Bon Scott and Angus Young. It’s a horror novel that pays homage to rock ‘n’ roll.

Heart-Shaped Box is the first Joe Hill book I’ve read. I have to say, Joe Hill is just as talented as his dad. Their styles are pretty similar, a lot of free flowing wordage that keeps the reader engaged.

Jude Coyne is a rock star, though he hasn’t recorded anything in the last few years. He’s living in a farmhouse in New York with his girlfriend, Georgia.

Jude has a dark hobby. He collects occult items, like a skull, a noose that was used to hang a man, a witch’s signed confession, things like that. When Danny. Jude’s assistant, tells him that someone is selling a ghost online, Jude decides to buy it even though he thinks it’s a joke.

But the ghost arrives. Jude finds out that the ghost is the stepfather of his former girlfriend. The ghost wants Jude dead and anyone who tries to help him.

Misc

Standing Rock

I guess everyone has heard something about the Dakota Access Pipeline, Standing Rock and this big Native American movement to stop the pipeline from passing through the reservation’s water source. Of course the usual line was drawn. Some people side with the Dakota Access Pipeline and some people side with the Standing Rock Indian Reservation.

They were originally going to construct the pipeline through Bismarck. Bismarck residents rejected the pipeline for the same reason the Sioux are rejecting it, they were concerned about their water source. Seeing how the pipe recently burst somewhere down the line, I think their concerns are reasonable.

Why weren’t the residents of Bismarck told that the pipeline was going through their area whether they liked it or not? Why was it acceptable for Bismarck to reject the pipeline?

The pipeline was re-routed to go through the Standing Rock Reservation. The Sioux rejected it, but their rejection was ignored. They’re taking a nonviolent stand and law enforcement is attempting to drive them off with violence. Why is that acceptable?

Baseball, MLB, Sports

The Cubs Went All The Way

Man, I don’t think I’ve ever seen a baseball game played so hard. That was Game 7, the final game of the World Series, the game that decides who the champions are.

The Chicago Cubs have not won the World Series since 1908 and they had not made it to the World Series since 1945. Long time Cub fans are probably bawlin’ their eyes out right now, so relieved that they got their “just one before I die” victory.

The Cleveland Indians did not make it easy for the Cubs, and why should they? The Indians worked every bit as hard to get to the World Series. They weren’t just going to let the Cubs have the glory. Both teams played hard. The players seemed desperate, even stressed out.

There were many wild leaps and dives, and the sprints seemed speedier than usual. It was like the guys found some godly power deep in the pits of their stomachs and used it to kick their gears into overdrive.

By the middle of the 5th inning, the score was Cubs 5 – Indians 1. But the Indians began turning things around in the bottom of the 5th, bringing in two runs and the score to 5-3.

The Cubs scored again in the top of the 6th, but the Indians got in three more in the bottom of the 8th, and the score was 6-6. Chapman looked real nervous after that, but luckily they caught a base runner attempting to steal and wrapped up the inning before the Indians could score again.

But then it was the 9th inning and the score was tied. Looked like everyone had the shakes. The Cubs didn’t score in the 9th, but neither did the Indians. A 10th inning was added, and then it rained. They rolled out the tarp and we waited to see if it was over for the night. Thankfully the rain delay didn’t last long and the game resumed.

I call this a pitching mistake. When a pitcher intentionally walks a batter, I reckon it’s because the pitcher assumes the next batter can’t hit. I didn’t memorize the name of the pitcher on the mound at that point, but he did this twice. Walked a batter on purpose, and then the next batter got a good hit. Twice this happened in the top of the 10th and the Cubs got in two runs. The score was now 8-6.

Bottom of the 10th, the Indians got in one more run. The score was 8-7.

It slipped my mind. Did the Indians have a man on first and second? Or just first? I don’t remember and I don’t feel like checking right now. But there were two outs and the Indians still had a chance to win. The batter hit, the ball bounced, was caught and thrown to first base before the batter made it there.

All I could think after that play was “CUBS WIN!!! CUBS WIN!!! CUBS WIN!!!”

This game was wild. Billy Goat’s curse is broken. The Chicago Cubs won the World Series for the first time in 108 years.

Baseball, MLB, Sports

The Cubs are Determined to Win it All

Well, folks, that was Game 6 of the World Series. A few days ago, the Indians were leading the series by 3 to 1. They only needed one more win and they would have been the Champions. But the Cubs don’t want to let that happen. After no championship in over a hundred years, this just might be the year of the Cubs.

The Cubs won Sunday’s game, and then they won today’s game, 9-3. The World Series is now tied, 3-3. Game 7 is tomorrow night and the winning team will be the Champions.

Go Cubs. It’s your turn.

Football, NCAA, Sports

Blue Peppers

Michigan beat Michigan State. It had been a few years since the Wolverines last won the Paul Bunyan Trophy. The final score was 32-23. Michigan had a bigger lead than that, but State pushed harder in the 4th Quarter.

Jabrill Peppers made some heroic plays. Near the end, when State was getting awfully close to the end zone, Peppers nailed the quarterback on the 4th down and the ball was turned over to Michigan.

State did get another touchdown, with one second left on the clock. After that, instead of kicking for one more point, State was going to try for two points.

But the quarterback dropped the ball and Peppers snatched it up. He ran the whole length of the field to Michigan’s end zone and those two points went to the Wolverines instead.

Political

Voted

Just filled out my Absent Voter’s Ballot. I registered to vote by mail in the last couple elections, because my poor eyesight prevents me from driving myself to the township hall on Election Day.

Johnson and Weld got my vote for President and Vice President. For other offices, I voted Libertarian wherever I could. I really am tired of Republicans and Democrats. I feel that the tug of war between these two parties is a real problem in our country.

I want the two party system to end. In recent years, I’ve become less and less inclined to support either Republicans or Democrats.  But this is the first election where I’m voting for the Libertarian presidential candidate.

No, I did not waste my vote. I voted for the candidates I wanted to vote for. I feel that the Libertarians hold more of my values than the Democrats and Republicans.

But if you want to vote Democrat or Republican, that’s cool. That’s your right.

Football, High School, Hockey, NHL, Sports

Woodland Christian at California School for the Deaf

While scrolling the guide for the Detroit Red Wings, I came across one  of those high school football games that ESPN sometimes covers. This one was Woodland Christian at California School for the Deaf.

Having gone to a deaf school myself, this was a game I wanted to watch. I flipped back and forth between the Red Wings and the high school football game. But the football game held most of my attention.

There was a lot of signing on the field and not just from the refs. CSD proved to be a very tough team, with good offense and defense. The final score was California School for the Deaf: 43 – Woodland Christian: 0.

After the football game, the Red Wings had a long shootout with the Blues. Zetterberg is the hero tonight, he broke the 1-1 tie.