NFL Films: NFL 1958-Championship-Baltimore Colts @ New York Giants

Source:The Daily Journal

Was the 1958 NFL Championship game the best game ever played, well if you look at the 5-6 turnovers in that game and both teams getting in the red zone and not scoring and other mistakes like that of course not. The 1967 NFC Championship between the Dallas Cowboys and the Green Back Packers especially if you consider the weather conditions and where the game was played in Green Bay, Wisconsin, was a much better played game. 

But the Cowboys and Packers still manages to play very well in that game. Even though it was played under those conditions. And the Hall of Fame head coaches Tom Landry and Vince Lombardi coaching that game and all the Hall of Fame players that played in that game. Cowboys DT Bob Lilly, WR Bob Hayes, CB Mell Renfro. For the Packers QB Bob Starr, OT Forrest Gregg, OG Jerry Kramer, DE Willy Davis, LB Ray Nitchke and others. I believe thats the greatest game ever played as far as the quality of the game.

And that's different from the most important game ever played. Because the 1958 NFL Championship had more to do with the future of the NFL as well as pro football. It made it easier to form the American Football League because of the attention that the 58 NFL Championship got, because now it was clear that there was room in America for more than twelve Pro football franchises, that were all in the NFL. And the NFL wasn't looking to expand, but instead consolidate the revenue that it had. 

The NFL had just survived the Korean War where it lost players to that war, World War II obviously same thing the Great Depression and somehow survived financially from that and came out better and on top from where it was before. What makes the 1958 NFL Championship and yes it was a very well played game and even a great game to watch as far as how entertaining it was, was for one it was the most important game ever played. You're talking about the two best teams in pro football playing for the NFL Championship in New York at Yankee Stadium in front of a live national televised audience, with two great football teams that had great coaching. 

For the Baltimore Colts coached by Weeb Ewbank who's in the Hall of Fame. For the New York Giants, forget about their head coach Jim Lee Howell and (I know with a name like Jim Lee Howell how can you forget that name) but you got Vince Lombardi as the offensive coordinator and Tom Landry as the defensive coordinator. As they say in Brooklyn, forget about it! That's all you need to know about the Giants coaching staff.  

And then you Hall of Famers for the Colts like QB John Unitas the greatest ever, RB Len More, RB Alan Ameche who scored the winning TD in the game, OT Jim Parker maybe the greatest OT of all time. WR Ray Berry one of the greatest possession WR of all time. DE Gino Marchetti maybe the greatest DE of all time, CB Johnny Sample and many others. The 1958 Giants as far as Hall of Famers, on offense RB Frank Gifford, on defense DT Andy Robostelli, DT Rosey Greer, MLB Sam Huff. 

These are three of the greatest defenders of all-time and they had the best defense in the NFL as well and scored enough points to win. With  Frank Gifford, FB Alex Webster, WR Tobin Rote and QB Charlie Connerly who could both run and pass and do them well. Anytime you get a matchup like that, under those conditions in a championship final on network TV and radio with all the major newspapers covering the game, you got something special, the NFL at this point was a major sports league. 

But Major League Baseball was still number one and college football was probably number two as far as team sports. But this game set the stage because of the audience it drew, still one of the highest rated programs and intended games in pro sports history, for the NFL by the early 1970s to be the dominant sports league in America if not the world. 

What the 1958 NFL Championship Final did, was set the stage for the NFL and the AFL to become the number one sports league in America because of the teams that played it, the players that played in it, how well they played. And of course the audience it drew, because now America could see how great of a sport pro football was and decided they wanted to see a lot more of it. 

Lakers Dynasty: The 1987-88 Los Angeles Laker Back to Back

Source:The Daily Journal

The Los Angeles Lakers of the 1980s were a great dynasty for several reasons and more reasons because they had Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Earvin Johnson and Pat Riley as their head coach and Jerry West as their general manager. They had the best center of all-time, the best point guard of all-time, one of the best head coaches of all-time in Pat Riley, one of the best executives of all-time in Jerry West. And a great chief executive in Jerry Buss, again one of the best ever. All these people are Hall of Famers and in Jerry West a Hall of Famer as one of the best players of all-time as well as one of the best general managers of all-time.

And you add in James Worthy another Hall of Famer and a guy who played both small forward and power forward at 6'9 225 pounds the size to play both positions and you throw in their fast break, I believe the best ever with their ability to defend, rebound, run the floor. Kareem, Magic, Riley and their fast break is what they are known for, but these are just some of the reasons why they were a great dynasty. 

You had Jerry West putting the teams together, Pat Riley leading the teams and then Kareem and Magic, both two of the best players of all-time not just at their positions and you can make a good case for both of them that they are the best basketball players of all-time period as their lead players, with Worthy backing them up, who on most other teams in the NBA would be the best player on the team, but since he played for the Showtime Lakers he was the third best player.

The Showtime Lakers had three of the best players in the league all on the same team with the best head coach in the league at least at the time in Pat Riley with their three franchise players. One or two of them even could have a bad game, not in a championship game, at least not two of them and the Lakers could still win. Because two or just one of them was great enough to pick up the slack for one or two players. The Celtics back then were the only other team in the NBA that had that.

With all that, that's still not enough to be NBA champions, that's most of the pieces, but not all of them. They had great role players as well, Byron Scott great outside shooter and defender, Michael Cooper the same thing and with the ability to play both guard positions and small forward. Kurt Rambis excellent post defender, rebounder and ran the floor very well and a great hustle player. AC Green another excellent rebounder and post defender who ran the floor very well and could score a little as well. Mychal Thompson a great third big man, the ability to play both center and power Forward. Could rebound defend, score and ran the floor very well as well.

The Showtime Lakers are known for their fast break, but what doesn't get mentioned is why they are a great fast break team. Back then the Lakers were also one of the best defensive teams if not the best defensive team as well as a very good rebounding team and the best passing team in the league. Their defense and rebounding led to their fast breaks, with Earvin Johnson the best Point Guard the NBA has ever seen running the Laker show. 

But with Kareem, Magic, Worthy, their outside shooters, they were also a great half court team. The Showtime Lakers were like a great movie or TV show with a great producer, director, great lead actors and great character actors with everyone knowing their roles and playing them up to their best ability. Which is why I believe the Showtime Lakers are the best NBA dynasty of all time. 

Larry King Live: Remembering George Carlin

Source:The Daily Journal

George Carlin isn't my favorite comedian but he's one of them. I don't consider him to be the best comedian but definitely one of them. But he's my favorite satirist and I consider him to be the best ever at that at least the best I've ever heard of, I guess all comedians are satirists, they all get their material from what they see in life. But Carlin to me is a satirist first, a great political satirist and a fair political satirist. He takes on both sides, that alone doesn't make him fair but the fact that he takes on the weakness's of both sides does because he hits people regardless of party where they deserves to be hit.

I try not to listen to political satirists from the right or left, unless they say something ignorant. And then I'll write something about that, making fun of them. Bill Maher who I don't even consider to be a Liberal, he's so far off on Far Left out there Utopian Land or somewhere he's probably my biggest target when it comes to political satirists right now, especially on the Left. Sarah Palin and yes thats what she is, she's a satirist and pretty funny one. But she's may favorite target on the Right. But I prefer to listen to satirists like George Carlin, Jon Stewart, Dennis Miller a real Conservative, Adam Carolla, a Libertarian Satirist people who take on the establishment but in satiric form.

If you're going to take on the establishment, you shouldn't pick on one side and treat them like the Devil. People who are completely incompetent and treat your side like its a God not capable of making mistakes, you should be able to hit both sides when they mess up. Especially when they are hypocritical, perfect example of this. When someone like Sarah Palin or Michelle Bachmann, both have a future in comedy if they want it. Rush Limbaugh a big fat target, that a blind person could hit would be another one.

When Sarah, Michelle and Rush go off on Democrats for supporting Big Government, whether the Democrats they targeting support Big Government or not, keep in mind when it comes to partisan attacks, facts aren't the important thing. Its what's believable that counts and they go after Democrats for supporting something they are in favor of. Keep in mind when Rep. Bachmann announced her presidential campaign last summer that lasted almost until 2012, two of her first positions were supporting Constitutional Amendments to ban same-sex-marriage and pornography. She's got Big Government written all over her sweet face.

But what separates George Carlin from everyone, is his honesty, bluntness and credibility. He has all of those things, he goes after everyone he believes deserves to be critiqued. Both Democrats and Republicans, as well as Independents and the voters as well. He doesn't blame politicians for the problems in the country. But the people that voted for those politicians and then voted for their reelection. Which is what separates George Carlin from the pack.

Inside The Actors Studio: Kevin Spacey's Impressions

Source:The Daily Journal

People have asked me what's my style of humor, my sense of humor and how I come up with lines and so-forth. I'm not saying I'm a professional comedian or anything (at least I haven't gotten paid for being funny, yet) . But I have been able to make people laugh hysterically, intentionally and unintentionally in the past. And I've told them simply my sense of humor is off the cuff, I say what's on my mind when I'm thinking it. Rather than "that sounds funny and use it two weeks later". To me humor has to be fast and relevant. Example of a bad joke. Cracking jokes about Priests at a football game, is probably not a smart play.

First of all you're likely to offend a lot of people there and not seem funny, but insulting. Which to me are two different things, but you're going to get strange looks (or end up wearing someone else's lunch) like making a Catholic joke at a football game when some half-naked moron runs on to the field during the game and people will look at you like "what does a drunk Priest in Church have to do with the guy who ran on the field". You're humor needs to be relevant and needs to make sense. And what I do is, I see myself as an analyst of life, we all are and I make judgements and comment on things that I see whatever is that interests me. If you watch the sitcom MASH or Seinfeld, that's exactly what they do. Here's the situation, what you think about it and they would look for the funny side of it.

Alan Alda who played Hawkeye Pierce, my favorite sitcom character of all time. If not in TV in general would be performing surgery and cracking jokes as he's doing it while saving the patients life. One to relax the people he was working with in that stressful environment, but also to relax himself. "This is the situation and this is what's funny about it was their approach to comedy". To give you a personal example, I use to work in customer service, have about twelve years experience of that. And we were surrounded by people, customers mostly for whatever reason, they were nervous or whatever. But would go brain dead when they would approach you and ask the dumbest questions possible.

No joke when I worked at a movie theater, we had to wear these loud maroon colored red polo shirts. With the name of the movie theater on them, with these corny name tags on them. I'm Joe or Sally or whatever, with your name on them obviously, (what was the first clue). We just got a lot of customers that were either, drunk, high or both or perhaps just had brain surgery, but their doctor actually removed their brain by accident.

Smart answers to dumb questions

Customers would constantly walk up to me and ask, do I work here. And seriously this is no joke, I would always reply with a smart ass answer and I never got in trouble for it. And I would say no, I stole this shirt or I'm a member of the theater fan club.

"Do you sell popcorn?" No we are the only movie theater in America that doesn't sell popcorn. We sell Chinese food instead, but sorry no chopsticks you have to eat with your hands.

Again true story, one day I'm in a ticket booth, selling tickets, naturally. (If you would guessed I was selling sporting equipment, you would be wrong). And someone asked, me where do you buy tickets, I told them three blocks down the street at the gas station, but if you want your oil changed or need gas, you have to buy it here.

Another person asked what size is the small popcorn. I said small we aren't trying to fool you with false advertising even though that would be very tempting because of the quality of our customers. "Well what does it look like"? It looks small. Again no joke someone asked how much are free refills, I told them five bucks, but we only take travelers checks. Again this is the situation in front of me and that's what I was thinking right at that moment.

That's the style of humor that you get from Kevin Spacey the actor/director/writer, but I would throw in comedian as well. The guy could've been a full-time professional comedian if he wanted to. Watch the movies Swimming with The Sharks and Hurley Burley, The Big Kahuna and you'll see what I mean. I would add Chris Walken and Tom Hanks to that list because their humor is so spontaneous, off the top of their heads, they don't need scripts or writers. They do that for themselves which is what all great comedians do and is a style of humor I've patterned mine behind.

Chris Early: The Best of J.R. Ewing

Source:The Daily Journal

The J.R. Ewing character played by Larry Hagman is one of my favorite characters of all time on TV. Because he was so real, didn't try to be the nicest guy in the World and wasn't the meanest. But he was one of the best, let's say dick's of all-time, not because he was the meanest, but because of how clever and funny he was. And the words he chose to at other peoples expense. J.R. Ewing was a dick, but he played by Larry Hagman was so good at it, that you almost had to respect him for it. "That asshole can really put you down". 

J.R. is one of those people that you always knew where you were with him. And if you weren't on the top of your game, he would be more than willing to let you know about it. Kinda of like that judge mental parent or perhaps uncle, where nothing is ever good enough for them. So what you always do is everything you can to try to please that person, to keep them from criticizing you. Which helps you in a way, because it gives you incentive to improve and be at your best. The constructive critic. 

I call J.R. Ewing who was played by Larry Hagman of course and I'm not sure anyone could've played J.R. better, because their sense of humors matched up so well, the funniest prick in the Southwest. Because he knew how to put someone down, or put them back in their place, especially when they were out of line. But he was accurate and direct. Someone who would tell you the way it is and make you laugh at the same time.  

Golden Girls: The Best of Sarcastic Dorothy

Source:The Daily Journal

I was never a huge fan NBC's Golden Girls, a sitcom about senior single women sharing a house together. But I did love the Dorothy character played by Bea Arthur because she reminded of my maternal grandmother. Who I believe is where I got my flip off the cuff sense of humor, a wiseass who has very little tolerance for stupid questions. My grandmother was very similar and when my grandfather would say something lets say not real bright, or ask a dumb question, she would nail him for it every time even with company.

So I tried to be more careful how I talked to her unless, I wanted a real good laugh because I new I could nailed for saying something dumb as well. Sarcasm when done right is the perfect tool to combat stupidity. And people who for whatever reason are having a brain camp at your expense and so what you get to do if you're up for to the task is show them how dumb they are being and how bad their lack of thinking is at that point.

I've been lucky to a certain extent. Because I've had jobs in the service industries where I have a lot of experience around people who for whatever reasons aren't thinking very well. And end up asking questions they should already know the answers to. Or are simply unaware that they know the answer to whatever question they are asking. So when I get a dumb question, I nail the person for it not to make them feel like an idiot. Just to let them know that they just asked a dumb question. And they should've put a little more thought into it before asking me that question again. 

And when I'm on, I can even get funny response out of the person who I just called out for not being very bright. 

For example lets say to make up a character, I tell Joe I'm flying to St. Louis from Washington. I've never actually landed in St. Louis, flown over it sure, but for the purpose of this example I've flown to St. Louis. And he says "so you are taking a plane?" And I say no Joe I've borrowed the wings of a bald eagle and going to fly myself. And Joe says something like "try not to run into any birds. I know how limited your flying experience is". Or something like that. 

Sarcasm when done right is a tool to combat stupidity. I prefer to use the term flip or off the cuff. Because sarcasm can be very mean, when you have someone whose overly cynical and whose always looking for the weakness in anything just to put someone down. Sarcasm at its best is a tool to let someone know. "You know what, thats' a real dumb question. You should know better and perhaps do and just aren't thinking very well right now". By showing that person how dumb they sound at that point.

My definitions of dumb questions are any question asked by someone who already knows the answer to the question they are asking, but not aware of it or someone who should know the answer to the question they are asking. But lacks basic fundamental knowledge and whose just being lazy. And my other definition of a dumb question is a question that has the answer in the question, but who's simply not aware of that. And I'll explain what I mean. My example of a dumb question where the person who asking the question should know better, but asks the question anyway.

Lets say you are driving to someone's friends house for a visit or dinner or whatever. And they call you while you are driving to get an idea when you'll be over and you say I'm on the road now. And I should be there in that about twenty minutes. And your friend says "you are driving now?" Of course you are driving now you just said you are on the road you told the person last night you are coming over. They know you drive and so-forth.

My other example of a dumb question, the question with the answer in it. I use to work at a movie theater and worked concessions a lot and someone would ask me. 

"What size is small"? Well its small obviously or we wouldn't call it small. And every time I was asked that question I would say well small and I never got in trouble for it. To go to my first example of a dumb question, when I worked at that theater I was always asked do I work there. What else would I be doing there wearing that cheesy maroon shirt and name tag if I didn't work there.

Again Sarcasm when used effectively is a tool to combat stupidity, "you sure you don't know the answer to that question". To let the person know they should've put a little more thought into that question. And when sarcasm is misused, it's the ultimate mental weapon to put people down and to try to make them feel worthless or stupid. So if you do have a quick off the cuff sense of humor, have a conscience as well because you'll make a lot of people laugh without sounding like an asshole. 

Oliver Stone: The Doors (1991) Val Kilmer As Jim Morrison

Source:The Daily Journal

The Oliver Stone 1991 The Doors movie was a very entertaining movie and worth watching and Val Kilmer did a very good job of playing an entertaining Jim Morrison aka the Lizard King. But other than the Miami concert and perhaps the New Haven concert and maybe the New Haven jail scene and the Lizard King's outfits, this wasn't a very accurate movie. And this is according to Doors band member guitarist Robby Krieger. First of all Val Kilmer is around 6'1 and 200 pounds, he's a big tall man. Where according to The Doors themselves, the real Lizard King was around 5'10 and slender. The Miami concert was crazy as it should've been with Morrison trying to perform drunk and getting frustrated and taking it out on the audience.

Jim Morrison trying to make it look like he pulled down his leather jeans (black or brown?) and exposed himself which according to the real Doors band, he never did, but wanted to make people believe he did. And the New Haven scene was fairly accurate, with the Lizard King getting maced in a hall closet before the concert when he was fooling around with a girl, by a cop. And then going out on stage and doing a good job, but then slowing down and getting frustrated and telling the audience about what happened to him in the closet.

And the jail scene was accurate too, with Morrison getting stripped down. And the movie nailed the Lizard King's outfit down, with over an hour of coverage with Val Kilmer wearing the Lizard King's go to skin-tight lambskin black leather jeans, which Val Kilmer pulled off very well. But the rest of the movie was an entertaining fiction novel with moving pictures. The Doors movie is very entertaining and if you're looking for an entertaining fictional rock and roll movie, then I suggest you watch Oliver Stone's The Doors. But if you want an accurate picture of Jim Morrison and The Doors, I suggest you look elsewhere.

ESPN 30 For 30: The Band That Wouldn't Die

Source:The Daily Journal

If you look back at the Baltimore Colts, their last few seasons, especially in the early 1980s, up until 1984, when they relocated to Indianapolis, it was very dark very gloomy. The team was bad and they weren't drawing, playing in an aging stadium, that was basically designed for baseball, where the Orioles play. Playing in a rough area in North Baltimore. I know, I went to Orioles games there and went to a Stallions game there as well. Like the stadium, as far as watching games there.

But Baltimore Memorial Stadium, it wasn't the right stadium for NFL football, as far as allowing a franchise to be profitable there. By 1984 when the Colts left, there were probably more reasons to not go to a Colts game, then there were reasons to go to a Colts game, to the point, that this is also an interesting story and I won't go very far into it but the Colts actually drafted John Elway in 1983. Elway being the smart guy from Stanford that he is, knew that the Colts by this point were one of the worst franchises in the NFL. Decided that he didn't want to be part of a long-term rebuilding project, especially for a team that might be relocating and told the Colts he wouldn't play for them.

The Colts traded John Elway to the Denver Broncos in 1983. Dan Reeves the Broncos head coach/general manager ends up getting a steal in this trade. The most talented QB in the NFL, on a team that was already a playoff contender, but as it so happens, the Broncos end up playing the Colts at Baltimore Memorial Stadium, week 1 of the 1983 NFL Season. Baseball is still going on at this point, the Orioles are still playing, so the football field, half of it is dirt, for the baseball field. (The other half is dirt for the football field also, ha ha)

Week 1 in Baltimore in September and in Maryland at this point its still summer time, a very hot humid day in Baltimore, temperature in the 90s, plus add on the humidity very common late Maryland summer weather and the Colts take their frustration out on John Elway, beat up the rookie QB, the whole game, pounding him into the hot dirt field the whole game. This one game in 1983 against the Broncos, sums up the state of the Colts at this point. After the Colts leave Baltimore in 1983, Baltimore football fans, had one goal and one mission at this point and only one mission.

Was to land another NFL franchise, to prove to the NFL they can support an NFL franchise, even if that means building a new stadium, which is what you see in the beautiful Ravens Stadium, that opened in 1998. Which is how they got the Baltimore Stars of the United States Football League and won the USFL Championship in 1985. With players like running back Kelvin Bryant who ended up playing for the Washington Redskins, how they were able to get NFL preseason games and draw big crowds for all of those games.

In the early 1990s, how they got so close to landing an NFL expansion franchise in 1993, with a plan for a new stadium. How they landed the Baltimore Stallions of the CFL in 1994 and won the Eastern Conference Championship in 1994 and the Grey Cup in 1995. And how they landed the Cleveland Browns in 1995 over to Baltimore for the start of the 1996 season and of course they became the Ravens.

If you want something bad enough, you basically have to do anything (you know thats legal and perhaps within in other limits) to get what you want, to show whoever you have to prove to, that you are not only willing, but able to support whatever transaction you are trying to land. Thats how Baltimore and the State of Maryland felt about pro football, they were pissed off over losing the Colts and decided to use that anger to get the Ravens.

NFL Films: John Unitas The Master at Quarterback

Source:The Daily Journal

When you talk about the greatest quarterbacks of all-time as well as greatest players of all- time who ever played, whether they are still playing, or not you have to talk about John Unitas as well or its a meaningless conversation. Because John Unitas changed the way the game was played and introduced things that were never done before. He called his own plays, was the field Coach, everyone on the Colts teams knew who was their most important player and the one guy they couldn't afford to lose, every team that played the Colts knew who was the one player that they couldn't let beat them.

Without Johnny Unitas, the Colts are a solid team perhaps a winning team but with Unitas the Colts were a championship contender from the mid 1950s until the early 70s, he was their Larry Bird or Earvin Johnson, Jim Brown whoever you want to put on that list. That one guy who was the Colts MVP every year he was there practically and a guy who could've won the NFL MVP almost every year he played, because he was that guy he was that great the difference in the Colts winning the Championship or being a mediocre team.

The only other two guys that I would compare to Unitas after he retired as as far as what they meant to their teams and how great they were would be, Joe Montana and John Elway. You take those two guys away from the San Francisco 49ers and Denver Broncos and you can make a very good case that both franchises are still looking for their first Super Bowl Championship.If you judge players by whether they were great or not and should be in the Hall of Fame or not, I have four standards that players have to pass just to be eligible with me. 

Was the player one of the best players at his position during his career? 

Was he one of the best players in the league during his career? 

Would he be a great player in any era that he played and was he a great player based on the previous standards for a long enough period of time?

Typically great NFL Players play around 10-13 seasons. So for me, most players aren't great as soon as they walk in the league. They need about three seasons to see whether they can be a great player or not, sometimes longer then that. And a lot of great players aren't great towards the end of their career, Jim Brown would be an exception to that. So for me if a player is great 6-8 years lets say, as well as meeting the other standards I just laid out then they are a Hall of Famer as far as I'm concern. But John Unitas had all of that plus so much more. You're not going to find a tougher QB or a better QB in the clutch. Plus the fact that he was the Colts offensive coordinator on the field. He called their plays, he invented the Two Minute Drill and made fourth quarter comebacks popular and exciting.

John Unitas wasn't a QB but a great player who played QB. "What do I have to do to win the game". Thats all he cared about, if you took the lead late in the fourth quarter against the Colts in the fifties and sixties with Unitas, you were probably going to lose. Because now you have to face the master and you have to figure out how to defend one player with eleven and most teams couldn't do that. The New York Giants found that out the hard way in the 1958 NFL Championship. They tried to take away the pass and Unitas calls a trap play up the middle and Alan Ameche runs for 20 plus yards that put the Colts in field goal position. Which would've won the game in overtime. But they had Unitas and were thinking Touchdown and thats why the Colts won the most important game in NFL History.

Hardball With Chris Matthews: Bill Maher On Sarah Palin & Michele Bachmann

Source:The Daily Journal

I don't want to sound like a preacher because I'm completely unqualified to be one, which doesn't stop a lot of other people from preaching by the way. But it stops me from doing it, so one up for me but having said that I do like offering my views on everyday life. And when I see hypocrisy I like to jump on it, like an obese person at a free all you can eat buffet.

But Sarah Palin and Michelle Bachmann represent what happens when we as people put style over substance and give people attention, responsibility and allow them to run for public office because we like them, we think they are cool, (oh I'm sorry awesome) or they have a great sense of humor deliver a lot of great humor intentionally and unintentionally and I can give you a long list of people in both parties. So long that we would have to tear down almost every tree in the country, or at least in the Northwest to have enough paper to finish this list. But since this is about Sarah Palin and Michelle Bachmann I'll start there and if I need more paper, I'll chop down a tree or save myself some time and buy some paper.

Sarah Palin and Michelle Bachamnn aren't political stars because of their great depth and intelligence on anything. Because they don't have any great depth or intelligence about anything. Sarah Palin didn't even know the role and responsibilities of the office she was running for back in 2008 when John McCain nominated here for Vice President. (Hint, hint pretty big clue there) Kinda like when you have a hot stove and instead of putting your hand on the hot stove to decide if its hot or not, you already know that its hot because you feel the hot air from it.

Sarah Palin and Michelle Bachmann are popular at least amongst the Far-Right in the Republican Party and outside of the party (at least amongst the Far-Right that doesn't see women as property), because they're likable, funny, attractive. And yes to use a word I try not to overuse, except when I'm impersonating valley people, awesome or at least considered awesome. Sarah Palin is famous because John McCain was scared to death about losing the presidential election in 2008.

Because Senator McCain was the Republican Leader replacing George W. Bush and had to have a running mate that the Republican Party would love and could appeal to the Far-Right and they either knew about Sarah Palin going in about how unqualified she was for any high Federal office. And figured they would try to teach her in the McCain Administration or perhaps nominate someone else for Vice President in 2012. Sorta how George H.W. Bush felt about then Senator Dan Quale in 1988. Or didn't do their homework about Palin at all and believed she was worth the risk. It was the ultimate riverboat gamble that blew up in their face, but they were probably going to lose anyway. Thats why Sarah Palin is famous in America and makes for great TV because she is very entertaining and attractive. Just not cut out for public office. 

Michelle Bachman is famous because she's the first mental patient to ever get elected to Congress, House or Senate and is very provocative, funny (sometimes intentional a lot of times not) and very attractive so she shows up well on TV and in public. But knows very little to anything about anything she's talking about and has a habit of attacking people based on quotes that were given to her. But then when's she's asked about where she got her info, she doesn't know because she didn't actually the read the info herself. Which is what happened when she got on Rick Perry about health care back in a Republican debate in September when GOV. Perry was the frontrunner.

Sarah Palin and Michelle Bachmann aren't famous and popular with their bases because of their intellect or depth on any on the important issues that we face as a country, but because they both make for great "reality TV" and both represent the dumbing down of American politics.

George Carlin On Politicians

Source:The Daily Journal

America has Freedom of Speech and I love that, as long as we don't threaten, libel, harass people or yell fire in a movie theater. Perhaps you can yell fire at a ballpark or outside or even in your house though, but I wouldn't try that unless its the real thing, otherwise you might be asked the question. "What are you in for?" By a guy or girl named Bubba with hairy armpits and hasn't showered since they were a kid. And you may say, "uh I yelled fire in a crowded place and they might say I'm in for murdering a grandmother. So I can steal her food stamps", how small would you feel then.

I support Freedom of Speech as a Liberal of course even Freedom of Hate Speech, expression like for pornography and other adult activities. But two groups of people to me at least who don't get the right to complain, are people who didn't bother to vote. I mean if you don't do your part to make the system better, what the hell right do you have to complain about people who screwed up the system. The other people who I believe have no right to complain are people who spend too much money and then are disappointed about what they got for their money.

We get what we paid for, if you're cheap, chances are your not going to get much in return. If you're too generous chances are your not going to get enough back in what you invested. You have to know what your paying or voting for and then spend and vote for what's worth it to get what you want. I'll give you a few of examples and I apologize they are sports related, but I'll give you another example as well thats not.

Its like a general manager who spends 20M$ on a career backup quarterback to be his starter because that QB had one good season filling in for the starting QB, but then once they get to their new team they have a lousy season and the GM is thinking. "What 20M$ on a guy who completes 50% of his passes and throws more INT's then TD's and doesn't even finish the season because the backup QB is better. I could've paid the schmuck who played QB for me last year that money and gotten a better deal". Because you're paying for failure when you overpay and well my answer would be why the hell did you spend 20M$ on a guy who was a backup QB for 6-7 years. He was a backup that long because he wasn't good enough to start for the most part and got his one break and took advantage of it and took that to the bank, but then came back to reality.

Like a millionaire who has a horses face and then meets a hot women who just wants him for his money. And then leaves him once she has it or a big part of it. Another group of people who don't have a right to complain are sports fans that go and watch all of their teams games. Take Washington Redskins fans who have led the NFL in attendance the last ten years at least, but then these people have the guts to complain about how bad their team is. If you don't like them, stop giving them your money. Find something else to do with your time.

Another group of people that don't have a right to complain are voters who complain about the same politicians, but then keep sending them back to office, by doing that you're just encouraging more bad behavior. You're telling them "they must like the job I'm doing because they keep sending me back to office". As comedian George Carlin says, politicians come from the same places that we do. Have similar parents, families, schools, churches etc. If you don't like them, find someone who you like that will do a good job.

Make sure you do a good job researching that candidate, which will make you an educator voter. Which will make you a powerful voter, someone who won't put up with the same garbage as uneducated voters. Or run for office yourself. But don't complain, you only get what you voted and paid for.

Real Time With Bill Maher: The Price of Stupidity in America

Source:The Daily Journal

Bill Maher loves to make fun of the Christian Right, or does a damn good job of impersonating someone who loves to make fun of the Christian Right, so good he should win an Oscar. Why not they are big easy target, kinda like aiming at an ocean from a beach. So why not shoot, instead of comedians and bloggers actually sitting down and putting their hand to their chin and going "hum what should I write about now". How about just listen to ignorant people talk and make fun of them instead. Thats what I always say anyway, or just said it actually thats the first time I just said that, but who's counting, well I guess I just did.

I mean think about who's easier to make fun of then ignorant people, especially when they're in charge like I don't know in the White House, or Congress.

Examples of doing dumb things-

Sending the country to war based on false intelligence to use as an example. Trying to link Iraq with Al -Quada, which is like trying to link a prostitute with the Southern Baptist Convention. They don't go together, sure there are Southern Baptists that like Prostitutes, but they generally don't go together. Or trying to link homosexuality with the 9/11 Attacks. If these people weren't so stupid, I might be mad at them just because of their hate. But since they are so stupid, its hard for me not to feel anything, but sorry for them. They are victims of our public education system and not being raised right.

And because of this, the rest of society gets to laugh at them and put up with them. Here's another one, Catholics can't go to heaven because they aren't Baptist. Isn't Heaven meant for good people. When we don't raise our kids right, or make sure they get a good education, they suffer the consequences of that of course. And a lot of them end up in our criminal justice system generally as guests. But the rest of society, sure gets some new easy big targets to shoot at, like a blimp over a stadium. (In other words Rush Limbaugh) But we have to deal with their stupidity, their lack of intelligence. Like what we had on Iraq before we went to war. Especially when they are pressured to run for high office to help their party. Because of their name recognition and who their father is and they end up having to make decisions.

The presidency isn't  ignorant politicians, or it sure as hell shouldn't be.  Can you imagine what it must of been like for Condolezza Rice to explain intelligence reports to George W. Bush. She must of had to use drawings or try to compare military combat with football games or something. This whole idea, or attacking another country because they may attack you in the future. First of all our national defense is so strong that would never happen. Because any foreign fighter plane or planes or warships that attempted to invade the United States because of our radar system would first be warned before they got close or could launch an attack. And then we could blow them away as well. The rest of the world knows this, which is why we haven't been attacked by a foreign military inside America since 1941.

Ignorant people on the Far-Right and Far-Left are fun to make fun of, lets just admit that. We can't or shouldn't be nice to everyone. For every Saint that we have, we need a few (pardon the term) assholes to keep it real. So most of the country can stay within striking distance of reality. (When they aren't high) But we need to remember that we pay a price for ignorance as a country, especially when it reaches high office. Because we as a country or state lets say, have together paid a price for their stupid decisions. So lets do our part to prevent as many future ignorant people in the future as we can.

NBC Sports: MLB 1986-5-03-GOW-Anaheim Angels @ Milwaukee Brewers: Full Game

Source:The Daily Journal

The 1986 Angels were a very good, if not great all around team. Hitting, pitching and defense that should’ve at least gotten to the World Series. But of course lost three straight games in the ALCS after having a 3-1 lead in that series.The Angels, who contended both in 84 and 85 in the AL West, which was back before the wildcard came into both leagues. Looked like the team to beat in the AL West both seasons. 1986, they weren’t expected to win the AL West, especially the way that they did by being in first place most of the season. But in 86, they put it together for the whole season. Both with their offense and pitching. And managed to avoid fading in August and September like they did in 84 and 85. The 1986 Brewers, were somewhat in transition. Especially with their pitching and weren’t contenders at all and about a 500 ball club.

ABC Sports: MLB 1981-ALDS-Game 3-Kansas City Royals @ Oakland Athletics: Full Game

Source:The Daily Journal

The expanded MLB Playoffs is not the problem I have with the MLB Playoffs in 1981 in the American League and National League. It's how they did it which is the problem. With the teams having the best records in first and second halves of the season in each division qualifying for the playoffs in each league. Which meant four teams making the playoffs in both leagues, which is how MLB did it from 1995-2011. Which again I don’t have a problem with, but how they did it.

Instead of having the teams that had the best records in their divisions for the entire season and have the two second place teams in each league qualifying as wildcards in each league, they had the best teams in the first halves of the season, play the teams with the best record of the second half of the season. Which meant teams like the Cincinnati Reds who had the best overall record in the NL West in 1981, missed the NL Playoffs. Because they didn’t have the best record in their division in either the first or second half of 1981.

Inky: Citroen DS OldTimer in Berlin

Source:The Daily Journal

This car right here, this beautiful 1971 D-Model Citroen, brings back great memories for me. My father at one point owned three of them. Grew up with all three of them and when he worked for the U.S. Public Health Service, he drove one of them to work everyday, after he gave up his Subaru that rusted out. The Subaru, was a pretty good car too. But comparing a Subaru of any model, with a Citroen D-Model, is like comparing a Ford Escort with a Lincoln Continental. There really isn’t any comparison.

The Subaru wagon that Dad had, was like sporty economy car, with a bit of a hard ride. The D-Model and all of three of them that we had, were luxury cars. Big luxury cars, the size of a Jaguar, but not as heavy, with a lot more leg room in the rear, that handled like a sports car. With its four-wheel hydraulic suspension, gave you the feeling that you were riding first class in a chartered airplane. Except without the noise and perhaps with even more leg room and no bumps.

True, no gorgeous sexy stewardess comes with a Citroen DS ride. But that’s a small sacrifice from everything else that comes with either riding in, or driving a Citroen DS. We’re talking about a luxury car, that is similar to a Rolls Royce as far as comfort. But a third of the price and not has heavy or as big. And I just wish that Citroen still made the DS and that they sold their cars in America. And perhaps one day the French will decide that America is the market they need to be in, for them to sell as many cars as they can.

Michael Rother: Point Blank (1967) Walker Comes Back

Source:The Daily Journal

For the life of me I still don’t know what the women in this scene was trying to say and what point she was making. Not sure Walker did either, but this is an important part of this movie, because Walker is back in town which is San Francisco. And he is back in town for a real reason, he wants the money that he stole that his partners took for him. It is obviously not his money because he stole it, but in a criminal’s mind money you take is yours. Except when another criminal takes your money. And Walker first stops by his wife’s apartment and to see if one of the men he’s after one of his former partners is there. Because one of them was sleeping with his wife. And that is really what this scene is about trying to get one of the men that can get him the money that he stole.

Strange Days: Riders of The Storm Performance

Source:The Daily Journal

The lead vocalist has the look of the Lizard King down except for maybe longer hair. And I think his skin-tight leather jeans might actually be tighter than Jim Morrison’s. Which is saying something, because it is hard to imagine a man who wore tight leather jeans and leather jeans even more skin-tight than Jim Morrison. At least from Jim Morrison’s generation. One of the reasons why he was The Lizard King, because of how he dressed and his skin-leathers looked on him. I think Strange Days is the best Doors cover band I’ve seen at least. And there are at least a couple of others that are pretty good. But the guy who plays Jim Morrison, has The Lizard King down. And not just outfit and physical look, but the voice and charisma and how he presents himself on stage. This guy is a hell of an actor and singer.

Wrangler Jeans: Laura Bell Bundy by Wrangler

Source:The Daily Journal

Love seeing sexy women in Wrangler jeans and Laura Bell Bundy certainly qualifies as a sexy women. Even if she farts in her Wranglers and farts in public, because I doubt she’s the only women who does. And I’m sure some of those women are even straight as well. Wrangler jeans denim or leather are for sexy women. They tend to be popular with country girls, western girls and cowgirls, but sexy women of all lifestyles and cultural backgrounds would look good in Wranglers. Because they are made for women with curves, to show off curvy women. They are not meant for stick-figure wannabe models who feel the need to only eat brown rice and rice cakes and drink water before they vomit all of that up. Because they feel that is how you become a successful model in America.

Janet Jackson: Black Cat (1990)

Source:The Daily Journal

This is one of my favorite classic rock songs and I'm a big classic rock fan, not just physically. And one reason why it is one of my favorite classic rocks, is because of the singer and Janet Jackson simply nailed this song and I don't know anyone that could've done a better job of singing this song other than maybe Tina Turner. And another reason why this is one of my favorite classic rock songs, is because it's sung by someone who is not a classic rock singer, at least full-time. Janet is primarily an rhythm and blues singer and does a great job. But here she shows her great versatility.

I think the really great talented singers can sing more than just one style of music. Tina Turner would be a great example of that who is both a rhythm and blues and classic rock singer and also combines those two great sounds into blues rock. Eric Clapton and Dave Matthews does the same thing and I'm big fans of both. Janet with Black Cat becomes a rock star in the real sense. Not in the pop culture sense of someone considered awesome or cool. But someone who is a a great singer rock singer. Who has great material and delivers it beautifully

Tight Jeans Able: Tight Leather Jeans Look

Source:The Daily Journal

I love leather jeans and checking out sexy women in them and just wish more American women wore them. Especially straight women and without Jim Morrison, they might not be around at all in America. At lest not for men and perhaps women either. He put leather jeans on the map, because he was a famous entertainer obviously as the frontman for The Doors and wore them everywhere and really everyday for about two-year period from 1967-69. His famous look and outfit for that period is his black leather suit and his cowboy boots. He wore both suede boots and black leather cowboy boots with his leather jeans and a black leather suit jacket and of course his concho belt. When he performed, but in his other public appearances and in his casual life as well.

And The Lizard King inspired a lot of men and women to wear leather jeans and boots as well. And leather jackets with their jeans and boots. The 1980s with heavy metal and hard rock revolution, perfect example of that. Joan Jett in the 1970s and 80s and still today, sports her leather jeans and jacket just about wherever she goes. And of course hard rock bands like Guns N Roses from the 1980s, Motley Crew, The Scorpions, Vixen and others. You see a lot of leather, especially leather jackets, boots and leather jeans with their look. Alannah Myles from the 1990s and Melissa Etheridge from the 90s and still today, performers who wear a lot of leather. Jackets, boots and jeans. Leather jeans are just like denim jeans. They are jeans and generally very tight jeans, just made from leather instead of denim.

The only thing with leather jeans, especially the skin-tight or skinny leathers, is that you have to be careful with them. You are more exposed and out in the open with them. Most people men and women wear their leather jeans either with a short top or shirt tucked in. Similar to how women wear skinny denims. For obvious reasons, but to show how their butts, legs and tushes looks in them. But a man is pretty vulnerable up front so to speak and if he put himself out in the open upfront and if gets excited sexually, as Jim Morrison did on national TV in his leather suit on Ed Sullivan, the whole world will know about it. But if you find the right pair that looks good on you and fits and don’t leave yourself overexposed, they will be a great way for you to highlight your body.