Black Wednesday

Bad Day at Black Rock

Pissed-off stupid people have found their God.

Another day of primaries and caucuses for the Republican party (well, sort of the Republican party, since three of the four contests allowed Democrats to cross over, because they don't call the GOP
The Stupid Party for nothing), and another step toward the nomination of lifelong progressive Democrat and congenital asshat Donald Trump. Demoralizing.

"Individual freedom will die screaming, I promise you!"

And that outcome, in turn, will result in the election of heinous black-eyed skank Hillary Clinton.

That's right, sports fans: The GOP is on the brink of anointing the only candidate who doesn't beat Clinton in head-to-head match-ups. In fact, Trump
gets buried head-to-head versus the unpopular Clinton.


And, of course, when that happens all the stupid, pissed-off people backing the blowhard fascist Trump won't blame themselves for what happens next. Somehow, I promise you, they will find a way to blame it on the conservative core of the party.

"Sounds like you need a new conservative party that leaves out the pissed-off idiots."

Maybe, but I'll never live to see it...

Spring Training Musings

"Boom and ZOOM!"

Part of the pleasure baseball fans get from spring training is imagining promising young players getting their chance at The Show, and becoming productive members of the major league club.

It mostly doesn't happen that way, of course, especially if you have a relatively set lineup like my beloved Kansas City Royals do.





Still, it is hard not to get a little excited when a prospect like 2011 first round draft pick Bubba Starling does something cool, as he did yesterday when he legged out a two-run, inside-the-park home run in the Royals 3-2 win over the Rockies.

Bubba isn't having a particularly good spring training, and yesterday's hit was his first
in 11 at-bats, so he's clearly got some work to do. He'll most likely open the season in the minors again, and at age 23 he's running out of time...

Motivation Rolls Downhill

From the droll comic strip Dilbert, by Scott Adams (currently on vacation), which you should read every day, as I do.

Until Next Time...

One of the more amusing things about working with young people was the reaction
I usually got from them when they learned that I liked some of the same music they did. And none of them were more shocked than the kids who simply couldn't wrap their heads around the idea that I liked so-called "heavy metal" music.

It shouldn't be that surprising. Heavy metal from its earliest days has appealed to lonely, moody people prone to depression. That's a pretty good description of me for much of my life. And when I have days like the one I had yesterday (which has continued into today), when the temptation to just give up is strong, this music still resonates with me.

The American metal band Metallica had become popular enough by the time they released their eponymous fifth album (known to the band's fans as "The Black Album" due to its monochromatic cover) in August 1991 that it debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 Albums chart, and held the top spot for four weeks.

Metallica, a.k.a. "The Black Album"

The album includes several songs that are among the band's best-known and most popular, including the live concert staples "Enter Sandman,"
"The Unforgiven," and "Wherever 
I May Roam."

I love all of those songs, but on days like today there's only one possible choice:  "Nothing Else Matters."

If only...




Today's send-off is the official music video for the original album track. It's just footage of the band in the studio, so no '90s music video disclaimers are necessary. Enjoy...