Memorial Ideas: The Donald Trump Memorial?

So, I was giving some thought and writing about Washington, D.C. recently, and some ideas about what might help make a good trip down there. Writing about Washington, D.C., and all of those memorials got me to thinking, and gave me some ideas.

There is the Jefferson Memorial, as well as the Washington Monument, that honor great American leaders and minds of the eighteenth century. We could have similar memorials for other Americans with great minds, and performed great deeds, from those times, as well. I am thinking specifically of Benjamin Franklin, or James Madison, or a number of other prominent figures who greatly helped shape the nation, and the world, and make it what it is today.

There is the Lincoln Memorial, which honors the great American leader of the nineteenth century. We could have similar memorials for other Americans with great minds, and performed great deeds, from those times, as well. None perhaps stand out as a truly national leader and figure, like Lincoln did, but we could have memorials for numerous great minds and deeds, for individuals such as Frederick Douglas, or Henry David Thoreau, or Mark Twain. Minds that helped the nation progress along.
There are the memorials for Franklin Delano Roosevelt and Martin Luther King, Jr., which honor American leaders and thinkers of the twentieth century. Like those preceding centuries, we could have similar memorials for other Americans with great minds, and performed great deeds, from those times, as well. Perhaps Woodrow Wilson, or Theodore Roosevelt, or others who figured prominently in the civil rights movement, and again, helped to shape the nation and the world, to mold it into what it is today.

But what about the 21st century?

Yes, I know that some of you are thinking it's too early, but is it possible that we have some early frontrunners for such an honor?

How about one for President Bush, the President for most of the first decade of this new century, and new millennium? Surely, this man also helped to shape the world, to make it what it is today. There would be a statue of the man, most likely with a perplexed expression on his face. He would be standing, with a copy of the Constitution under his foot, representing, of course, how he and his administration trampled upon it. Perhaps, like the FDR Memorial, we can have rubble, representing not only the destructive wars he waged (illegally), but also the nation itself - symbolism of the fragmentation and polarization that was a large part of his legacy.We can be graced with his immortal words, with such memorable quotes like "Bring 'em on", or how Americans have "too much freedom". Yes, there are plenty of quotes to choose from that the man left. But maybe, we can have a video of that one moment when the man seemed incapable of putting even a simple sentence together, when he was unable to speak. As a fitting tribute as we leave the memorial, we can see President Bush rendered speechless, as we all will be after revisiting these times, and this leader that allegedly led us through them.

No? You don't like that one? Okay, then, how about one for President Barack Obama? Like with the Lincoln Memorial, we could have every state of the Union that existed during his presidency - in Obama's case specifically, 57 of them. We could have one very tall wall representing the hope and enthusiasm from all that  he said, all that he promised, and all that he seemed to be during his electrifying 2008 campaign (and before), under the words "The Audacity of Hope". Then, on the other, much shorter wall, we could be shown the more sobering realities, and borrowing from Jello Biafra, we could name this wall "The Audacity of Hype". Here, we can see how he failed to close Gitmo, or put a definitive end to torture, as he said he would do. Here, we can get every word of the NDAA, which he signed into law, and which gave the President the ability to suspend habeas corpus. Perhaps we can have statues of sheeples, half sheep, and half people, who continue to defend the man and never, ever criticize any aspects of his Presidency, and here, be reminded that this man's best trait, simply put, was that he was not George W. Bush?

Then again, perhaps we already have too many memorials for presidents. Can we perhaps extend it to individuals who were not President?

How about a memorial for Dick Cheney? This might be stretching the truth of any idea of not building yet another memorial to honor another President, since this man seemed to be in charge during his tenure as "Vice-President", but let's go with it anyway (much like we collectively did throughout his, I mean, Bush's, presidency. It would, of course, have a statue, one with a permanent scowl on his face, to remind us, one and all, of his sunny disposition. The memorial itself could be another obelisk in the shape of a prick, and it would not have to be so big and obvious as the Washington Monument. In fact, as a fitting tribute, perhaps it should remain in an undisclosed location, and remain the city's dark secret. It would probably be underground, and instead of pointing towards the sky, it could point to the bowels of the earth, to the pits of hell, where the man himself belongs.

Or how about one for Governor Chris Christie? After all, that memorial cannot be in Governor Christie's allegedly home state of New Jersey, since he seems to want to spend such little of his time here (although I will give him accolades and say here that I think Christie not only did stay in Jersey throughout Hurricane Sandy, but also responded admirably, showing care and leadership), since he is busy campaigning across the nation for bigger and better things. So, why not a memorial to him in the city that he seems to be aiming to stay at to begin with?

How about one for Donald J. Trump? There could be a statue with a permanent scowl on the face, like Cheney's, only it could also have a colorful toupee on top of the head, for an amazing likeness to the real man. Unfortunately, there would be no quotes to put on or around this memorial, since the prerequisite to have quotes for such a memorial usually means that the individual had something worth saying. Still, we could blend modern technology, and have a recording of his voice going on constantly in the background, talking to everyone and no one in particular, just reaching out for anyone who might listen, clearly in love with the sound of his own voice. Just like the real man. Maybe we can build him a money vault a la Scrooge McDuck? Or maybe it should be another glass and steel structure, only this one underground, like the inverse pyramid in Paris, pointing down to the bowels of the earth, to hell? The thing is, that structure is beautiful, but Trump's should not be. it should be tacky and boring, like the man, and like those "towers" that he has built and named after himself. Perhaps, also in keeping with tradition, we can give it some elaborate name. Yeah, I like that.
Maybe one for Mitt Romney? This one could consist of a wall made of 47 stones, representing each of the percents that Mitt Romney did not care about, and it could be right in back of him, representing the wall of Americans that he could not see or care about. On second thought, maybe it should be right in front of him, while the statue itself faces the White House, looking ever onwards at the place where he obviously wanted to be, but could not get to. That wall would represent the major obstacle that prevented him from actually reaching the White House. At least this Romney could actually reside in Washington, something that the man in real life was unable to achieve. Maybe, like the FDR Memorial, there can be stumbling blocks, and each one would have quotes on it, with some kind of idiotic quote from the failed 2012 campaign.

What other individuals might we get for such a memorial? How about Sarah Palin? Michelle Bachmann? Perhaps a bus to represent the whoe "Tea Party" movement that graced the nation, as it would make the pilgrimage to Washington to hear the brilliant words of Glenn Beck? With any luck at all, that bus might just drive right on out of not just Washington, but the country altogether!

Hey, here's a novel idea: how about if the memorial is dedicated not to one individual, but to many of the same mind, and who have had an impact, however unfortunate, on shaping present day America, and the world? Like, say, Fox News? We can spread the wealth around, and....oh, wait a minute! That's exactly what they stand against! But at least we can have the words, "Fair and Balanced" high on top of everything else, and then all sorts of quotes to prove just how fair and balanced Fox has been. This memorial could be called "America", since FOX News seems to think that they represent the entire nation, and in keeping with that spirit, it can even be exclusive to those who agree with FOX, with all others kept out of their America. Maybe their can be a statue of a scapegoat, with a statue of a finger pointing at it. What a fitting tribute to this brand of news!

Or, of course, we can build a memorial to those who are truly on America's mind. It can be a whole bunch of stars from television and the "music industry" and the "entertainment industry". We can build them as beautiful statues who have nothing to say, just like in real life. Perhaps a representation of the private jets that we keep hearing about, and how this symbol of exclusivity and elitism is supposed to be something that we are all envious of? How about the cast of Jersey Shore? Or maybe an endless line of zombies, to represent the latest flavor of the moment, the "Walking Dead"? It could couple as representative of the collective American political conscious presently. Maybe a huge wall of indifference, or perhaps a statue of Johnny Depp's "dumb puppy" of American politics (I think he was right on target with that remark, as well)? All sorts of ideas we could wrestle with.

Yeah, I think that I might be on to something here!

If you are reading this, and want to share any ideas that you may have, please feel free to let me know what you have in mind for a memorial to honor some new American of the 21st century. I'm open to ideas!

Concert Review: The 12.12.12 Concert at MSG

This was going to be such a huge show, and I really, really wanted to go. It featured the most amazing lineup of any concert that I had ever seen before, or ever attended. There were some amazing concert lineups that I had seen, perhaps the top being either the "Vote For Change" finale in Washington, D.C. in 2004, or the Earth First concert in 2007. But this had even bigger, more rare acts, many of whom I had not seen in a very long time, and all in one show! I had not seen the Rolling Stones in just about a decade and a half, Billy Joel since 1998, and had not seen the Who since the 1996 Quadrophenia tour. Eric Clapton I had seen only once, way back in 1994 (could it really have been the greater part of twenty years ago?) as a gift to my father. Chris Martin I had seen once before with Coldplay, back in 2002. All of these acts, and much more, were going to be simply amazing! So, I did what I had to do to obtain tickets.

I really did not want to have to drive into the city, because I hate driving there. The tolls alone are costly, and the parking is ridiculous ($41 for what wound up being a concert that lasted just shy of six hours). Last time I drove into the city, it was also for a concert (Johnny Hallyday back in October), and the parking garage originally wanted $50 for two hours. Ridiculous. It's just so much easier to take public transportation, which for me, usually means the PATH train.

However, I was going to work right after the concert, and so taking the train in would not be a problem, but waiting for a train to come in, then transferring, then getting to the station and having to walk to my car, then race on over to my job all seemed like too much time. I started at midnight, and from what I gathered, the concert was supposed to end at midnight - at least the live television coverage of the vent seemed to indicate that this was when it would end. Who knew that it would go on well past the point when the concert could no longer rightfully be called 12-12-12? At least on the east coast, because it slipped into the 13th no later than during Chris Martin's set.

The traffic was pretty bad. I arrived in heavy traffic trying to cross over at the Holland Tunnel, and heard on the radio while there that there was a half hour wait. I had been wondering if the Lincoln Tunnel, which was a bit further up from where I was coming from, might not be better. But then there was a report that the Lincoln tunnel delays were even worse, with an hour wait going into the city. The roads are pretty crappy, with metal gratings and potholes and heavy traffic and aggressive drivers and too many pedestrians and guys on bikes hugging the roadway. For someone not used to the city, it can be a royal pain. It took quite a while to get there, but since I had left very early (and had initially planned to leave quite a bit earlier than I actually wound up leaving, my arrival was on time, with plenty of time to pick up some souvenirs (a terrible experience), and then get to my seat with a decent amount of time left before the show.

The souvenir stand was ridiculously slow and stressful. A lot of people cutting others off, including some blonde who cut right in front of me. Some people complained (myself included, because it was so obnoxious), and she shrugged and said, in effect, that she had been waiting a long time, and claimed the same thing had happened to her.

Right.

In any case, I got a t-shirt for myself (expensive at $40 for a navy blue t-shirt, and the white ones were $25). I got a white one for my girlfriend, because that was the only one that was in her size. I had wanted to get programs, but there were none for sale for the show, which was surprising. So, I got a couple of posters instead, and then headed up to my seat.

The enthusiasm among the crowd was understandably strong, as the announcement continually went on for people to take their seats, as the show would begin promptly at 7:30pm. So excited were they that there was a countdown from 10 seconds to the beginning of the show, which was reminiscent of the tradition of New Year's Eve countdowns.

Then, the show began with a video about the damage that Hurricane Sandy wrought, and how people were trying to cope with it. It served as a sobering reminder to the crowd that, as excellent and exciting as the concert promised to be, that it was for a cause: namely, relief for those who had suffered greatly from the recent Hurricane Sandy.

Don't worry. I won't go on and on about the storm, as I admittedly did in the days and even weeks following, but this does serve as a good reminder that a lot of people in New York and New Jersey particularly are still suffering, and trying to recover.

The show opened up with Bruce Springsteen and the E-Street Band, which was a bit of a surprise. I will admit that, with such legendary names like Bruce and Paul McCartney and the Rolling Stones and the Who and Billy Joel (all of whom rank among the best selling artists now for decades), I figured some of the other artists would open, and that the concert would work it's way up as it went along, so to speak.

Bruce had introduced Bon Jovi during his set, and Bon Jovi would return the favor during his set, as the two New Jersey natives helped one another out. Both of them had amazing, and very enjoyable, sets, and the crowd responded big time!

I will admit that it was during the Boss's set that I already began to wonder about the time management of the organizers. How were they going to fit all of this in by midnight, if this set list ran almost half an hour? Not that I was complaining, mind you. But it seemed odd.

The answer, of course, was that some artists would get considerably more time, and some would get the shaft. The Rolling Stones shocked the arena when they walked offstage after performing only two songs. Eddie Vedder only backed up Roger Waters on Pink Floyd material, and Dave Grohl was introduced during Paul McCartney's set, and played only one song with him and the other surviving former members of Nirvana. They performed one song, and it was neither the Beatles nor Nirvana. it was not even a Foo Fighters song. Chris Martin's set was pretty short, as was Eric Clapton's (like the Stones, his set list was also only two songs). More on this as I go along.

As I mentioned earlier, the Rolling Stones only performed two songs, which left everyone there in some shock. We were all a bit surprised, and I am guessing that most people were wondering about the same questions that had crossed my mind at that time. Had their set list been cut short because the concert was running later than expected? Was their set list supposed to be short to begin with, since they were one of the last bands added (even though they were one of the very biggest names on the list - and that's saying something!).

Listening to the radio on my way to work much later on that night, I had heard a radio dj on 1043 mentioning that there had been a rumor that the Stones had perhaps had some kind of arrangement to be seen exclusively on pay per view for this concert, and that perhaps the extremely short set list was a kind of angry protest, although those rumors were dispelled.

The fact that they seemed lively enough would indeed suggest that they were not pissed off, although I can't say for sure. But Mick Jagger had as much energy as ever, and given his age, that is extremely impressive! I hope that I have half as much, hell, a quarter as much energy as he has once I reach that age! He went from one end of the stage to the other, looking very much like the Mick Jagger of decades ago, and even joked that this was "the largest collection of old English musicians ever assembled in Madison Square Garden".  Despite the surprisingly (and frankly, disappointingly) short set, it was a privilege to see the Stones again - my first time seeing them since the "Bridges to Babylon" tour of 1998! Given that they are now touring to celebrate their 50th anniversary, it was a real pleasure to actually see them, since attending this concert will likely knock me out of any real chance of seeing them again in the near future.

If a couple of legendary British rock acts sets were surprisingly short, then perhaps it was also a bit of a surprise that the Who's set seemed, by way of comparison, quite long. Not that they are not legends, or don't deserve a longer set list. But  it was a much longer set, and even after the song that most people, myself included, expected to be their closer, that being "Love Rain On Me", they did not yielded the stage, and in fact, played one more song.

Legendary comedian Chris Rock was pretty funny, and introduced "the always modest Kanye West", before the hip hop artist took the stage, donning a black dress. He stalked around the stage, and it sure felt like the decibel level was raised enormously. Quite a few people in my section left the area, taking advantage of the opportunity to get drinks or go to the bathroom, or whatever else they were doing. I will admit to following suit, at some point. It's just not my cup of tea. I know some fans of Kanye West, and perhaps indeed, I am too old-fashioned or whatever to truly be able to appreciate it. But I think Rock's comments were actually pointed and critical of West, and I would tend to agree with them. In such a concert as this, with such legends, and for such an admirable cause of helping people in need out, it just seemed to me that he could have taken the millions of dollars that he surely has made by now to buy himself more perspective. He seemed angry, just like the other time that I had seen him at the Live Earth concert back in 2007, and just like the time at the music awards show, when he went on stage and tried to undermine Taylor Swift (which I don't care about, only it showed a lack of class and dignity on his part, which he himself later admitted to). While everyone else, including some legends like Paul McCartney, Billy Joel and Bon Jovi, as well as Chris Martin, seemed actually quite humble and privileged to take part in such a concert, Kanye West, by comparison, seemed like a spoiled child, because things were not quite going exactly like he wanted to expected them to. His set did not quite fit

Perhaps the biggest surprise was during Paul McCartney's set, when he suddenly talked about a Nirvana reunion before introducing David Grohl, and then the rest of the surviving former members of Nirvana - Krist Novoselic and Pat Smear. All together, with Sir Paul, they performed an entirely new song, which is evidently called "Call Me Some Slack". Prior to the show, nobody had really ever heard it before. For me, having never gotten the chance to see Nirvana or Kurt Cobain, this was as close as I would get to seeing the legendary grunge act, and it was amazing!

Can't say that I really have any complaints about it, although I was wondering about the timing aspect, since it seemed that certain artists (Eric Clapton, Eddie Vedder, Dave Grohl, Chris Martin, and especially the Rolling Stones) had very little opportunity to do their thing, while some other acts - particularly the Who and Kanye West (not to take anything away from either act), for more than most people assumed that they would. Also, Kanye West's attitude was questionable, and he seemed the only one that was not really happy to be there, if you will. Everyone seemed to be willing and wanting to help out in Sandy relief efforts, but Kanye West's focus seemed elsewhere. Just my impressions, but that was the distinct impression that he left me, personally.

All in all, this was an awesome concert! Unlike Kanye West, I felt privileged to have been there, to have been in attendance (and unlike him, I like almost everyone else there, had to pay a lot of money to get here, and not be a performer who will surely make great profits from the promotion of being associated with it. Roger Waters had an incredible set, performing favorite from the Pink Floyd days, and recruiting Eddie Vedder's help along the way. Billy Joel restored order after Kanye West, and produced a strong crowd reaction. Alicia Keys was amazing, getting the crowd to cooperate more than any other artists, when asking them to light up their cell phones, or raise their hands. Paul McCartney brought her out at the end of the show with her huge hit, "The Streets of New York".

It was the most unbelievable lineup for any concert that I have attended, and I've been to a few such concerts, and know of some others, as well. While I think the moniker of "Greatest Concert of All Time" is a bit exaggerated (it's been applied to a few other concerts recently, including the two "Rock Hall of Fame" concerts in New York a few years ago that I would dearly loved to have attended), I am not convinced that this qualified. Again, Woodstock stands alone, I believe, and probably always will - at least in our lifetime. As great as this concert was, and as amazing as the lineup might have been, it did not have the creative genius and social significance of Woodstock, and thus will not have anywhere near the impact, even if this was for a good cause, and was a very enjoyable concert - perhaps the biggest, and defining, concert of more recent times!

PICTURES FROM THE SHOW

Just arrived at MSG, prior to the show. This came out a bit blurry (my first time really using this device). Please keep in mind and remember that I misplaced  the real camera for this show, and so had to use the Kindle that my gf got me for Christmas. The quality of the pictures is not exceptional, and there was nothing (to my knowledge) like focusing or zooming in. Plus, I could not really determine the quality, or lack thereof, of the pics, until I got home and saw the larger versions of the same on a larger screen. Here, if you look closely, you can see the evening's show advertised by the front entrance of the "world's most famous arena."

Another picture outside of the arena before the show. It shows the "Countdown to !2.12.12!" (sorry that my Giants hat is evidently in the way).

Finally inside. Watching the crowd file in, slowly but surely. There is an excited buzz in the place, knowing just how huge this concert is supposed to be. This is close to the actual beginning of the show, but you would be amazed how quickly this place got packed, as the repeated announcements that the show would start precisely at 7:30pm seemed to have an effect. Nobody wanted to miss this!

Just a few minutes after the last picture. Again, the announcements had an impact, as the place started really filling up in a hurry. Very glad I was already in my seat by then!

Lights out! Countdown done, the wait is over. The show begins. This is the moment just before Bruce & the E Street Band begin their set. A video is playing, although those of us on the side, with obstructed view, cannot see it. Hopefully, I can see it when I watch the video that I recorded, but haven't had the opportunity yet as of my writing this. 

Bruce & Co. doing their thing, with the houselights up! The music has finally begun, and the crowd responds with much enthusiasm!

Another, similar view to the previous pic. The stage was circular, and rotated around. So, while one act was on, the stage crew was setting up the other half of the stage for the next act, to hurry things along. Not sure if that comes out in these pictures or not. The back of the stage seating is blocked off, and you wouldn't have been able to see anything anyway. However, you could see some of the performers walking around before and after their sets, which was pretty cool! 

In this pic, Bruce is shown on screen, and what is happening is a bit clearer.

This picture came out a bit blurry. But Alicia Keys is on stage, performing, and asked the crowd to turn on their cell phones, to keep them lit up. Almost everybody seemed to do this, and it looked really amazing! This picture hardly does it justice, but it allows you to get an idea of it,. nonetheless.

This picture is not really clear, but this is right at the end of the concert. The house lights have come on, and the place is quickly emptying. But Paul McCartney is still on stage, along with the firefighters, the heroes, that he has invited on stage. Wish this had come out a bit better. Sorry!

Another view, as the stage, and Madison Square Garden as a whole, continues to empty after the show.

Last view of MSG & the 12.12.12 concert, before it becomes a memory, or history. The place has really emptied out, as has the stage (for the most part). I'm about to leave as well, but wanted one last pic, probably for sentimental reasons.

A picture of the front of the official t-shirts that were being sold. Not sure if I mentioned this, but there were surprisingly few options for the souvenirs. No programs, and they had these two styles of t-shirts only. They also had a sweatshirt available, as well as a poster (pictured here further down). The dark blue I got for myself, and the white one is for my gf. The dark blue sold for $40, while the whites sold for $25. I would have gotten her a blue, but they ran out of her size, so I got her the white one, even though the blue looks better, doesn't it?

Here's a picture of the back of the t-shirts.

Here's the poster (not fully flat, since I had to roll it up in order to fit in my backpack):

Here is a picture of the front of the bootleg t-shirt I got after the show, right outside of MSG.

Here, finally, is the back of the bootleg t-shirt that I got outside of Madison Square Garden afterwards, for $10. 

Finally, here are some links to other reviews that I enjoyed, and thought you might, too:

"Review: Rock legends take over Sandy concert" by Randall Roberts

http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/12/12/sandy-12-12-12-benefit-concert-live-blog/

"On 12-12-12, Songs in Reply to a Storm" by Jon Pareles

http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/12/12/sandy-12-12-12-benefit-concert-live-blog/

"121212: The Concert for Sandy Relief Concert Review " by Eric Pedersen

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/review/concert-sandy-relief-concert-review-401440

The Nutcracker

Let me just say this right up front: I am not all that knowledgeable about ballet, although I have now seen this particular one twice. The first time was at the Lincoln Center in 2008. This time, I saw it at the theater at  Raritan Valley Community College (RVCC) in Branchburg, New Jersey.

In the Nutcracker, the story begins with a big party at the palace, where the adults first dance around before the children are given their gifts.

One girl receives the gift of the Nutcracker, a toy soldier. But a jealous little boy filled with malice breaks this toy, and the girl is distraught.

That night, some little mice come to life, behind their leader, the Rat King. The Nutcracker comes back to life, and fights the Rat King. The Little girl throws her slipped at the Rat King, knocking him out (it was the first of two knockouts that I would witness this weekend, but was somehow a little less dramatic than how Manny Pacquiao got knocked out against Marquez).

The Rat King is now defeated, and their is more dancing for celebration.

The background designs were very beautiful. It really looked like what you would imagine the Winter Palace in St. Petersburg to look like. There was a Christmas tree as well that looked real, and they made it grow in size later, as the play went on. It was quite impressive!

Also, the outfits were very beautiful, and my girlfriend definitely enjoyed them very much, pointing out how pretty they were.

There were two showings for Saturday, December 8, and we went to the early showing at 3:00pm. The venue itself is nice and conveniently located right off of Route 28, on the campus of the community college. The theater was a bit smaller than expected, and a bit too warm, I think. A few people were mentioning how warm it was, although the packed audience might have had something to do with that, as well.

The acrobatics of the dancers was pretty amazing, and many of them displayed a tremendous level of grace and elegance.

This was the twelfth consecutive year that the Moscow Ballet touring company has offered this show, and it has come to Raritan Valley before. If you are in to ballet, or have always wanted to see "The Nutcracker", I would recommend trying to see it if it comes around again next year!

What A Weekend In Sports!

I have not been writing as much about sports just lately, other than, um....ahem.... bitter diatribes about league commissioners, particularly the NHL's Gary Bettman, everybody's favorite commissioner.

But this was an exciting weekend in sports that just passed, and it got me in the mood. I mean, from the incredible and memorable knockout punch that knocked Manny Pacquiao out cold, to the excitement of the NFL as the postseason nears, and everyone is trying to get into position, and even to basketball, which I usually do not follow so much until it gets closer to the postseason in spring, or at least until after the Super Bowl.

So, let's see....where to begin?

I think I'll start with the fight.

Marquez, who was not usually known as a spectacular boxer, and probably had not received the recognition that he deserves, probably changed all of that with one big, huge punch this past weekend. It was the biggest punch and most memorable of his career, surely, and the one that he will likely always be remembered for. The way that Pacman went down after that was just unbelievable! It was more brutal than what Manny himself had famously done to Ricky Hatton ijn the 2nd round of their huge showdown some years back in 2009, and that fight itself drew comparisons by some to the 1988 megafight between Tyson and Spinks that proved such a dud, with Tyson knocking Spinks out halfway through the 1st round.

True, this one came much later in the fight, but I would say that Marquez did at least as much damage to Pacquiao and his legacy as Pacquiao had done in building up that legacy, particularly by completely destroying Hatton almost four years ago now.

Manny may still be a superstar, but he will never be viewed in the same way again. He had entered this year with a reputation of being invincible, still basking in the glow of having been named the "Fighter of the Decade" in the 2000's. He had long been considered either the top pound for pound fighter in the sport, or number two behind Floyd Mayweather, and the superfight between those two seemed on again, off again. But there were times when it seemed like it would be inevitable, and indeed, how can the two best fighters in the sport, and in the same weight division, not go ahead and fight eventually?

But all of that was before this year. He ended last year with a win against Marquez, is biggest rival, and had won fifteen fights in a row. Usually, in dominant fashion. The only man to have won titles in eight different weight categories. Plus, he had a winning personality, and seemed to have so much going, both inside and outside the ring. The face of many commercial products, even the face of his country. There was just so much going for the guy, and he seemed untouchable in the ring.

Then, earlier in the year, he fought against Timothy Bradley, and lost his WBO Welterweight title in a split decision. But many who watched the fight felt that he had gotten robbed. It might not have been his most dominant performance, but most felt that he had won, and been robbed. Still, officially, a loss is a loss.

The potential superfight with Mayweather still dragged on, bogged down in details, and with Mayweather going to prison, it seemed perhaps the superfight, which many projected to have the biggest purse in the sport's history (and that's saying something!) just might never happen.

So, another fight with Marquez, and now this! The other fights between these two had been contentious, very tight fights. Manny had officially won two, and the other was a draw. But they were all hard fought, close fights, and quite a few people felt that Marquez had been screwed himself.

Pacquiao wanted a convincing win, a knock out. And perhaps he was a little too aggressive in pursuing that. Perhaps he even grew a little careless, because fighting that aggressively so close to the end of a round was too risky. I mean, he left himself wide open to that huge punch from Marquez.

At the time of the punch, Manny was up on points according to all of the refs. He had been dominating the fight, and had broken the nose of Marquez, who was not only bleeding from both nostrils, but from his mouth, as well. His eyes were swelling up. It was a matter of time, and he even acknowledged this in post fight interviews, saying that he knew Manny was going for the knockout, and that he very well was likely to get it, too, if things did not change.

But things changed. Boy, did they ever!

By now, everyone knows what happened. Marquez hit him Pacquiao hard, he knocked him out cold, dropping him flat on his face to the canvas. The referee started to approach Manny and seemed to count initially, then simply waved his arms when he realized that Manny was out cold.

When Marquez dropped Pacman, he also dropped his legacy. Dropped the aura of invincibility surrounding him much like Buster Douglas did to Tyson back in 1990. It was not just that he won, but how he won. Nobody but nobody expected Marquez to be able not only to knock Pacquaio out, but to knock him out cold, to knock him out with such brutal and efficient finality. It was a punch that left no doubt, and it seemed that Manny walked right into it. he just ate the punch, and dropped. His arms dropped before that, indicating that he was unconscious. What a memorable hit!

Watching the post fight interviews, clearly both fighters had taken a beating. Marquez had gotten a pretty solid beatdown himself, although perhaps that just makes his knockout win that much more impressive. As for Manny, he conducted one interview after being knocked out, before skipping the postfight conference, and going to the hospital. You could see the red marks on his face clearly. Again, what a knockout punch that was! No one could have foreseen a boxer with such a reputation getting downed by one punch so dramatically, so convincingly!

I don't know what will happen next. Opportunities could come in a hurry now for Marquez.

As for Manny? Well, there was talk of retirement, and Freddy Roach suggested that he needed to see what Manny could still do, and if he noticed a decline, that maybe it was time indeed to hang up the gloves.

But that seems unlikely, and there is already talk of a fifth fight between the two. If there is, let's be frank: it is unlikely that the outcome, whatever it may be, will be as memorable as this one was! Unbelievable!

Otherwise, let's look at the NFL.

The Patriots and Texans had a huge, and much anticipated showdown on Monday Night Football. But like many such showdowns, this was a letdown. New England raced out to an early 21-0 lead, en route to a brutal 42-14 victory. Houston still might hold the top seed in the AFC, but the aura of invincibility surely is done. Their two losses, at home to the Packers and at New England, were both convincing blowout wins from far more experienced teams, and this will surely raise doubts as to whether or not Houston can sustain their winning ways as the playoffs approach.

New England and Denver are suddenly within a game of the Texans, who looked for quite a while like they owned the top spot in the AFC. Now, they will need to win some games to even secure their division, with two tough games coming up against the Colts, who actually still have a shot at the division. Theoretically, if the Colts won out the rest of their games, they, and not the Texans, would be division champs.

Houston's vaunted defense was ripped apart last night. But then again, new England looks like they might have a real shot to produce some record numbers this year. The 2007 Patriots, who could boast a record smashing offense, and were the highest scoring team in NFL history with 589 points, are seen as the most dominant offense ever.  Through thirteen games, these Patriots have scored 472 points. If they average more than 3 points through the next three games - and they actually look capable of it - they will in fact surpass their own record setting offense of six seasons ago, during that historic, if ultimately unsatisfying, season.

One team that looked very dominant this weekend was the Seattle Seahawks, who completely obliterated their division rivals, the Arizona Cardinals, 58-0. It was the second most lopsided shutout win that I have ever seen, just behind (you guessed it) the Patriots whipping the Titans, 59-0, in the October snow of New England back in 2009.

It got me to thinking about some of the most lopsided games in NFL history. Also, since two teams managed to reach the fifty point mark this past weekend, it got me to wondering as well about how often teams have scored record amounts of points in a game.

Off the top of my head, two teams managed to score in the fifties during Super Bowl wins - the San Francisco 49ers did it in Super Bowl XXIV, 55-10, and the Dallas Cowboys did it in Super Bowl XXVII, 52-17. Three other teams managed to reach fifty or more points in playoff games that I can remember, including the Jacksonville Jaguars in 1999-2000 season (62-7 over Miami), the 19995 Philadelphia Eagles (58-37 over Detroit), and the Arizona Cardinals (51-45 in OT over Green Bay). That's pretty impressive, but how about the teams that reached the sixty point plateau? The Patriots have come close recently, and Seattle came close this weekend, but neither team actually managed to get there.

Since I have followed football, only a handful of teams managed to do this. That includes (perhaps surprisingly) the Jets back in 1985, the Cincinnati Bengals back in 1989, the Jaguars back in the 1999-2000 playoffs, and the New Orleans Saints last season.

Here's a list of some of the games since the early 1970's::

January 15, 1999 (playoffs) - Jaguars 62, Dolphins 7 
September 16, 1973 - Falcons 62, Saints 7
October 23, 2011 - Saints 62, Colts 7
December 17, 1989 - Bengals 61, Oilers 7 
November 17, 1985 - Jets 62, Buccaneers 28 
December 17, 1972 - Bengals 61, Oilers 17 
November 26, 1972 - Giants 62, Eagles 10

Around The Bend December 10, 2012

Supreme Court Hearing on Gay Marriage

The Supreme Court is hearing arguments from both sides of the gay marriage debate, as appeals over both DOMA (Defense of Marriage Act) and California's Prop. 8 ban on gay marriage took center stage. An elderly New Yorker sued against the Federal Government's 1996 DOMA law, saying that it violated her right to have her same sex marriage recognized and validated. It also stipulates that only partners in opposite sex marriages can receive federal benefits, and same sex partners are barred from this. In the meantime, the National Organization for Marriage suggested that the Court's willingness to take on California's Prop. 8 indicates the Court's desire to reinstate the law. The Supreme Court will be taking on both cases, and either or both cases could prove to be landmark decisions on this divisive issue. Advocates on both sides of the debate seemed optimistic about the court siding with them.

http://news.yahoo.com/supreme-court-both-sides-gay-marriage-debate-voice-011227265.html


Up On The Hill

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell of (Republican from Kentucky) wound up doing something quite rare on the floor of Congress - filibustering his own proposal. He was forced to, when a political risk apparently backfired. The Republican was not counting on a straight up vote in the Senate. Yet, when Democrats met and, after a few hours, decided that McConnell's request for a vote on a proposal of giving the President more power by essentially giving the President the power to raise the debt ceiling, but allowing Congress to veto if it came down to it, should stand for a straight up vote on the floor. McConnell had to object to what he himself had proposed, being rather taken by surprise, evidently, and forced into a very awkward situation.

http://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2012/12/07/McConnell-filibusters-own-proposal/UPI-24531354905388/


Crist Switches Parties

Former Republican governor of Florida has officially joined the Democratic party. The move was anticipated for some time, but he made it official last week. He had been making a run as an independent for Senate, but now has sought the backing and name recognition of the Democrats.





Around the World



Middle East

Syria - The tide seems to have turned against President Bashad Assar and government forces loyal to the regime. Commanders of rebel forces have elected a 30-member leadership council as well as a chief of staff, while rebel forces themselves are closing in on Damascus, the war-torn nation's capital city. One group that was excluded was Jabhat al-Nusra, who were influenced by al-Qaeda, as the rebels want to remain friendly with Western nations, and figured that this group would frighten potential allies away. Even some allies of the old regime, such as Russia, have hinted that the odds are not good for Assar and his forces to hold power for very much longer.

Egypt - President Morrissey reversed his own policies and nullified the controversial decree that had triggered so many violent protests in Egypt, a nation that has seen quite a few such protests in the last couple of years or so.

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-egypt-morsi-20121208,0,2184653.story


Europe

Serbia - In a very bizarre story, the Serbian ambassador for NATO, Branislav Milinkovic, has taken his own life. He was evidently chatting with colleagues in a parking garage at the airport in Brussels, Belgium, when he suddenly just walked away, climbed over the barrier at the edge, and leaped to his death. He was dead by the time that his colleagues reached him.

http://news.yahoo.com/officials-serbias-nato-ambassador-leaps-death-093459101.html


United Kingdom - There was a widely publicized hoax that had two Australian radio dj's cal the hospital where Kate Middleton, the Duchess of Cambridge, was being held. The nurse had apparently been convinced by the dj's, who had pretended to be the Queen herself. The nurse who answered was found dead, evidently of mysterious circumstances. Jacintha Saldhanha, aged 46, was found dead at the same King Edward VII hospital in London where Kate Middleton was being held.

http://news.yahoo.com/nurse-died-kate-hoax-call-india-112732051.html



Latin America & Caribbean

Brazil - Famed architect Oscar Niemeyer (1907-2012) has died. Niemeyer helped to design much of Brazil's planned capital, Brasilia, which is located in the center of the nation, and was built on what was largely empty land, far from much of everything else in the nation. Quite a bit of the capital city was based on Niemeyer's vision for it. He also helped to design much of the United Nations building in New York City, and was one of the most highly regarded of Latin American architects. He was 104 years old.



Asia


Philippines - A very powerful typhoon has struck this island nation, leaving over six hundred dead, hundreds of others missing (as of the time I am writing this), and forced over one hundred thousand people to flee their homes for safety.  Many roads are blocked, and communications systems have been damaged, complicating  recovery efforts there.

Japan - A powerful earthquake hit this nation again, in the same region most affected by last year's earthquake and tsunami, although fears of another major tsunami like that one that hit this island nation early last year were allayed. The primary earthquake registered 7.3 on the richter scale, and hit early on Friday evening. A tsunami warning had been issued for the coast shortly after the earthquake, as there were warnings of waves of up to 2.2 metres high, although these projections were later lifted.

Africa

 
South Africa - Ex-President and legendary anti-apartheid leader Nelson Mandela has been hospitalized in Pretoria, said curent President Jacob Zuma. He will be undergo tests to determine his present health conditions.

Ghana - Citing technical glitches during the day of election, this nation's government announced a second day of voting. The questions rising from these debacles with this particular election have put into question Ghana's traditional reputation as a beacon of democracy in a region that has been hit hard by violence and turmoil.

http://news.yahoo.com/election-underscores-ghanas-democratic-reputation-190326024.html


The United Nations

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-20653018
 


Sports


France Ligue 1

In French soccer on Sunday, Lyon managed to get the top spot in the league by defeating St. Etienne, 1-0. That gave them a five point cushion over star-studded Paris St. Germain, who had started the season off hot, but have since been struggling, although PSG  won easily on Sunday, 4-0 over Evian Thonon Gaillard. Olympique Marseille were shocked at home, 3-0, by Lorient. Lyon has 34 points thus far, good enough for first place, while OM and PSG are tied for second with 29 points each.

NFL

The biggest news by far in the league was the tragedy in Dallas, where Cowboys nose tackle Joshua Brent has been charged with vehicular manslaughter after a car accident while he was driving while intoxicated cost  Cowboys practice squad linebacker Jerry Brown his life. It was the second tragedy in one week's timespan in the NFL, and has many up in arms, wanting the league to do something. RIP, Jerry Brown. 

The Cowboys played with that shadow of tragedy hanging over them. They seemed destined for a loss against the Bengals, who had outplayed Dallas through most of the game, and held a decent, 19-10 lead in the game. But the Cowboys mounted an impressive comeback to win, edging the Bengals, 20-19, keeping their hopes of the playoffs, and possibly an NFC East division title, alive. 

This was a good week to be in the NFC East, as every team in the division won. Washington also came from behind to defeat the usually tough Baltimore Ravens, who dropped a second game in a row, and suddenly look vulnerable, having seemed a sure bet for the second seed two weeks ago, and now being in the fourth seeded position for the AFC. The Eagles also managed to break their eight game loisng streak by beating the Bucs in Tampa, 23-21. 

The Giants hung onto their narrow lead in the division, by beating the team that seemed to always beat them. Not only did the Giants beat the Saints, but they did to the Saints what the Saints had done to the Giants in prior meetings with Brees as quarterback. The Saints usually scored near fifty, and held the Giants to the twenties in those meetings, but the G-Men turned the table, winning 52-27. A big win for the Giants, who managed to score more than fifty points for the first time since the 1986 season, when they won their first ever Super Bowl. Not sure what's more depressing, if they had not reached this milestone since then, or that I am old enough to say I can actually remember that game! 

Sure, the NFC East is tight, as it always seems to be, but it seemed that, until recently, other teams were making it easy for themselves. Like, say, the Bears, who a few weeks ago, were 7-1, and nipping on the heels of the Atlanta Falcons for the top spot in the NFC. But the Bears lost their fourth game in a five game stretch, this time to their division rivals, the Minnesota Vikings, and really look like they are reeling. The division title seemed almost a sure thing when they were 7-1. Now, the playoffs seem to be slipping away, unless they can do something to reverse this trend in a hurry, because time is running out. In the meantime, the Packers took sole possession of first place in the NFC North, for the first time this season, with a win over the Lions in snowy Lambeau Field. 

In the NFC South, the 11-1 Falcons, who have looked very impressive, seemed to show the pitfalls of such a fast start, as they lost to the Panthers in Carolina, in one of the biggest surprises of the day. They were pretty much dominated throughout. The Saints and Bucs also lost, and Atlanta looks like they will be the only representative for the playoffs in this division. 

The NFC West has some very impressive teams at the moment, as well. The Rams had a big comeback to pull off a huge win at Buffalo, while the 49ers held off the Miami Dolphins. In the only divisional game for the NFC West today, the Seahawks handed the Cardinals their ninth straight loss, which gives Arizona the longest streak in the league all by themselves. This was done in record fashion, as Seattle destroyed the Cardinals in every way a team can be destroyed, 58-0, in Seattle. 

In the AFC, I already mentioned the Ravens and Bengals losing, but the Steelers also lost, getting shocked at home by San Diego. Their season is in serious jeopardy of spiraling out of control, as they head to Dallas next week. The only team in the AFC North doing well at the moment would be the Cleveland Browns, who  dominated Kansas City for their third straight win. 

The Broncos won again, beating Oakland on Thursday night. They will definitely be watching the big match up between the current top two seeds in the AFC on Monday Night Football, as the Patriots host the Texans, in what will be a big test for both. The Jets held off the Jaguars to keep New York's slim playoff hopes alive, while the Colts mounted yet another comeback, engineered by star rookie quarterback Andrew Luck. The Colts had been dominated for most of the day by their division rival Titans, but they came back to post a huge victory. Given the struggles of some of the other AFC playoff contenders recently, the Colts chances to qualify for the postseason looks very good at the moment. With a little Luck on their side this season, the Colts have completely turned it around from last year's 2-14 mark (sorry, I had to do it). 


NBA

The New York Knicks stunned the defending NBA champions, the Miami Heat, in their big showdown for first place in the East. Sure, it's still the early going for the season, but the Knicks, who have perenially had among the highest pay rolls in the league, seem to be living up to their billing. Not only did they win convincingly, as they hit eighteen three-pointers on the road at Miami en route to a 112-92 victory. The Knicks record now stands at 14-4, best in the East.

In the meantime, perennial Western favorites, the Los Angeles Lakers, who were widely considered to be a "dream team" of sorts after some major offseason moves, continue to struggle this season. In a showdown with the Oklahoma City Thunder, who knocked the Lakers off in last season's playoffs, the Lakers fell behind early, and were unable to mount a complete comeback, losing 114-108. Despite some incredibly  high expectations heading into the season, the Lakers record stands at 9-11 after twenty games, with  approximately one quarter of the season done with.

Boxing

The much anticipated fourth chapter between superstar champion boxer Manny Pacquiao and Juan Manuel Marquez ended very abruptly right at the end of the sixth round late on Saturday night. Pacquiao was coming in with a right hand seconds before the bell sounded to end the round, when Marquez caught him with an incredibly hard right that put Pacman to the mat, and he was unable to beat the count. In fact, he was knocked out cold and remained down for several seconds, and was apparently not moving for quite a few seconds. At the time that the fight was ended, evidently all of the judges had Pacquiao up 47-46. This was most likely the final meeting between these two, in what has been an incredible and tense rivalry, although they seem to friendly with one another outside the ring. 

Evidently, Mitt Romney not only attended the fight, but even gave the Pacman a pep talk just before the fight. I wonder, in retrospect, if perhaps it was unwise of Manny to hear Mitt out, since Mitt lost the election after being so absolutely certain of victory, to the point that he was boasting about it. Pacquiao was expected by many to win, and he surely expected to win, as well. Maybe Romney's luck spread to the Pacman? 

To be fair, Pacquiao actually had a brilliant strategy, and was working it almost to perfection. Almost. But he was caught with a couple of right hands, and that obviously included the final one that stopped the fight by dropping Manny face first to the mat. He looked out of it after that. It was just an unbelievable right by Marquez, one of the hardest hits that I've seen in that weight category. Unfortunately for the Pacman, this probably shatters that illusion of invincibility that he had enjoyed for quite a long time. True, this was his second loss in a row, technically. Yet, that last fight, many people feel that he had been robbed. In this one, Marquez left no doubt who the winner was. What a stunner! 

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/boxing-pacquiao-gets-romney-pep-talk-marquez-bout-035840752--box.html

Sports Commisioners With Too Much Influence

Okay, okay, how much fun is it to talk about commissioners of sports, instead of the actual sports? Who wants to talk about the chances of your favorite team making it to the playoffs or even having a chance at the title, when you can talk about the latest measures by the commissioner of the sport, right?

Of course, it's not just the commissioners of the sports. It's the owners of the team, and league officials.

The NHL wants to limit player contracts to five years, tops.

"It's the hill we will die on," said NHL deputy commissioner Daly. He also claimed that owners were insulted by what the players had suggested to them.

In the meantime, hopes for a season are growing slimmer and dimmer with each passing day. One wonders why NHL officials such as Daly seem actually willing to forsake another season entire. Are these good business practices? Does it make sense to possibly cancel yet another season, when fans are clearly going to be very, very pissed off, since this is nothing new?

Daly seems willing enough, or so it would seem. He was quoted recently as having "no new ideas" for the NHL labor talks. Is that a man earning his money?

In 1995, a shortened season was salvaged. it was 48 games for each team, and Gary Bettman has said that he would not permit a shorter season than that. But that was done after the lockout stretched into January. It is December now, and we are nearing the holiday season. It seems with the current impasse, the gridlock is likely to continue on into, and through, the holiday season. That would bring us to January.

At that point, the season is on the verge of being cancelled altogether.

But Gary Bettman and the NHL lockout are not the only places where officials are making news for the wrong reasons. In the NBA, soon to be gone NBA commissioner David Stern has fined the San Antonio Spurs $250k (see the article below for details).

Apparently, David Stern does not like the San Antonio Spurs very much. I can kind of understand it, in the sense that the Spurs probably are not that marketable. They just don't have the flash and high profile of, say, the Lakers. They never have, and they never will.

But here's the thing: the league goes way too far in their endorsement and favoritism of big teams, and the Lakers in particular. Read the article attached, and it makes mention that David Stern once declared that his dream NBA Finals match would be the Lakers versus the Lakers.

Really? The success, or failure, of the league should center around one team? You either love them (like many fair weather, bandwagon fans do - and I'm willing to bet that anyone reading this probably knows a fan of the team with the ugliest uniform and the flashiest image in basketball, and perhaps in all sports overall), or you hate them. Perhaps even loathe them.

I fall into the latter category (can you tell?). I just never really like when one team enjoys all of the success, and the Lakers are that team. I remember their five championships in the eighties, when they were team of the decade, and more recently, they won five more in the last decade. That's ten titles, and two team of the decade honors in three decades.

Are they really just that good, and deserve their success? Maybe. But what worries me is when someone like David Stern, being in the position that he's in, says something like that. I mean, really? You can't think of a better NBA Finals series than the same team against itself, when you are supposed to represent every team in the league? How can a commissioner of a sport actually say something like that out loud? And let's be frank, also: given the funny coincidence of the Lakers constantly winding up getting these strange deals where they pick up huge talents for not much (let's call a spade a spade), you begin to wonder if there is not a little favoritism going on. Is it really that unthinkable?

Maybe I am in the minority, but my nightmare NBA Finals series is one in which the Lakers are involved. I mean, really, they just make it to so many, that it is tiresome. The same team, year in, year out. How interesting is that? There are teams that never seem to make it. Some teams have never been there, and never even come close. There are other teams that came close once, maybe twice, and that's it. But the Lakers make it all the time, and I'm not entirely convinced that it's because they just seem to run things better, or are smarter. It seems mostly that they enjoy success because they are the more marketable team, according to key league officials, and so they get some breaks that other teams simply cannot compete with.

I mean, really. Why is it that you never hear about the Portland Trailblazers getting such talent for nothing, zippo. Or the Toronto Raptors? Perhaps the Washington Wizards? Or even teams that have actually enjoyed some success fairly recently, like the Utah Jazz, or the Nets (who seemed on the verge of getting Howard last spring, yet somehow it did not happen)? Why not the Knicks, since they are in a huge city, and I would imagine that they are marketable? Maybe the Celtics?

No, it seems it's always the Lakers that are favored. The Knicks acquire star talent, but not a solid team. the Miami Heat, who may be the new Lakers of the east, were also blessed recently with a load of talent almost overnight, although that was not necessarily foul play. The Celtics had such a scenario, as well. But did you notice that nobody has them with the regularity that the Lakers seem to? I wonder why that is, anyway?

But that's what we get, I guess. The Lakers versus the Lakers as the ideal scenario? That's the best, most interesting scenario that the supposedly best minds for the sport can offer? Not just one franchise that serves as the most annoying franchise in sports, but two?

Yes, Los Angeles seems to get all the breaks in basketball, somehow. They won ten titles since I started watching and paying attention to sports, and I'm not that old. They have also been there so many other times. Always, it has to be the Lakers. It's so repetitive, and frankly, I tend to lose interest and tune out when it comes to repeats. Why watch another Lakers finals, when I've seen them before, time and time and time again? Something is wrong here. Yet, this is what the league wants? More of the same? To the point that they somehow allow (encourage?) the Lakers to get all the breaks, while penalizing the Spurs for their success? Really?

Maybe that appeals to some. But personally, I was disgusted when the Lakers, yet again, somehow managed to get a load of talent in the offseason, with very high profile names to boost their chances of a title yet again. This is not the only team in the league. Hell, they are not even the only team in Los Angeles. How about spreading the wealth a little bit? Parody in the NFL, for example, may have it's drawbacks. But at least it also serves to break any one team's dominance (or make it far more challenging for a team to achieve such dominance), which makes things more interesting. Why can't the NBA follow suit? What are they so afraid of? It's not like the Lakers are destined to fail under such a scenario. Far from it. They just would not automatically succeed.

Apparently, that's just too much of a risk for David Stern and the NBA. God forbid we go the playoff months of May and June without having to see the precious purple and gold once again, right?

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/nhl-owners-players-meet-3rd-085644819--nhl.html

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/nba--david-stern-stumbles-again-in-his-failed-culture-war-against-the-spurs-194828970.html

Sleepless in New Jersey: The Flip Side of the Holiday Season

I couldn't sleep last night. Woke up maybe around a quarter to two in the morning, and then the dog needed to go to the bathroom, evidently. Basia got up and opened the front door for him, and he went out and did his business. Then we all tried to go back to sleep, but it was largely unsuccessful.

We got to talking, and apparently, we had both been awake for some time, prior to the dog whining and getting us both up. Neither of us could sleep.

Why?

Well, here's the thing: we went Christmas shopping that evening, prior to going to bed, and we both overspent.

So, we both felt guilty.

I felt guilty because of all the money that I spent on some items recently. She felt the same way - specifically about some perfume that she had purchased at Macy's that evening.

It seems a bit odd to me, this notion that we should have guilt and stress so automatically associated with the holiday season. Why?

Well, most likely because we are an overly consumer-oriented society. We attach the utmost importance to money and money-oriented things. It becomes a badge of honor to get the most expensive things, and this is most actively encouraged during this time of the year. Since we are shopping for other people, it can be viewed as noble. We want to be seen as generous, willing to give.

So, businesses encourage us to part ways with our well-earned money. I heard somewhere a few years ago that retail stores expect about 50% of all their revenues from holiday shopping. We buy huge amounts of things, presents and such, for others. Many of us (probably most of us) also buy some things for ourselves, since the sales and such that are a trademark of this season also tend to seem so good, that we might as well precisely during this season of savings.  I mean, who doesn't, right? I'll admit to having done this in the past, and even this year already. I always want to knock this off, thinking it a bad habit. Yet, I almost always wind up getting myself something for the holidays, as well, even though I know (or think I know) better.

Of course, there are reports that these savings are not actually savings. That reports of just how much you can and will save are, in fact, greatly exaggerated - and this is particularly true, evidently, for Black Friday.

Now, there's a "holiday" where people seem to just go nuts, and far too often, lose all sense of perspective and balance. I went shopping yesterday, and will likely go Christmas shopping again soon, but one day that I have managed to steadfastly stick to my guns of going nowhere near the stores is Black Friday. This is not to say that I have not been tempted - I will readily admit that I have. Plus, there is a bit of intrigue and mystery surrounding it for people who have not (yet) participated, so I guess there is a mix of that, as well as the romance of getting some new things at rock bottom prices.

But nothing comes too easily, and despite the traditional magic with many are taught to view the Christmas season with, we learn, as adults, that nothing comes without a price, even when the prices is advertised to be lower.