The truth is that all sports fans should be proud to have witnessed one of the best playoffs since 1998. We also witnessed why hard work always pays off in the end. In the barbershop I had a discussion with a gentleman about Lebron's greatness. No doubt he is great, but his work ethic needs to catch his potential. Also, there is something to be said for having a good attitude. People win and people lose, you have to be on one side of it, why act like a baby? The other thing I don't understand is why if your so much above people and their hatred, why respond? I'm not making any predictions for next year because this year I learned that the lakers with Shaq was the last true dynasty we'll see for a while.
I watched the GOP debate the other day and I was thoroughly impressed by Ron Paul and surprisingly Michelle Bachman. Up until this point, all the things I know about her have been negative. While on that stage she stuck to her record and what she truly believes in. She also understand the difference between a debate and free publicity. ANSWER THE QUESTIONS TIM PAWLENTY! Anyway Ron Paul is always a treat if, he ever worked the crowd like my friend pointed out, he would definitely have a shot at the seat. My real question is what could any of these people do differently? Repeal Obamacare? Repeal the repeal of DADT? Neither has anything to do with the economy. The government need to just get out of the way. Any good baseball teams I should watch, that are not the Indians.
a quick point or two:
ReplyDeleteit was republican groups who actually pressed for the end of DADT. obama stalled for two years and said he couldnt do it (truman's executive order racially integrating the amry wasn't a good enough precedent? really?) and log cabin republicans, as their name suggests a GOP group, sued the feeral govt. When their appeals started looking like courts might make it happen, Congress ended it during their lame-duck session. Disgracefully, many Republicans voted against repeal, but I haven't heard a single call to revisit the issue.
On the economy, repealing Obamacare would 100% improve the jobs picture. Businesses are facing lareg increases in their ealth care spending due to Obamacare mandates, and the bulk of the final rules have't even been written yet. Companies are already writing off losses directly stemming from the Act, and it is actively incentivizing employers to get more out of their current employees rather than hiring new. If you were an HR manager for a large group of employees and you could have more current employees, whose benefits have already been paid for, work more hours or alternatively hire new employees and distribute the workload but pay a very large but uncertain amount more for benefits, what would you choose? That's just one example of how it's restricting job growth.
Here's a couple easy fixes: http://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=137970666277752&id=16904239
here's another: http://www.foxnews.com/us/2011/04/25/energy-america-oil-drilling-denial/
Shell spent $4 BILLION developing a drill site in Alaska only to have the EPA at the last minute deny air permits b/c the icebreaker ships necessary for the project might adversely impact the town of 250 ppl 70 miles away.
This kind of decision-making endorsed by Obama and his agency chiefs not only directly kills viable, beneficial projects, it reverberates through the economy to signal 'enterprise isn't welcome here'. Infant projects that may open the parent company to the slightest liabilty are smothered in the crib. Corporations with an int'l footprint find it easier to do business in Brazil, Australia, and Asia with governments serious about growth.
The saddest part is that we completely understand in theory and know in practice what model works and what doesn't. (http://www.investors.com/NewsAndAnalysis/Article.aspx?id=575088&p=2) The south, upper midwest, arizona, texas, etc. have weathered the recession better and even grown in the hard years. States dominated by Big Labor, environmentalists, and central planners are on the brink. It's not hard to figure out. So WTF, why does Obama embrace the path to stagnation and decline?
Here's what not to do: Illinois recently adopted an enormous personal and corporate tax increase. Immediately the state's largest employers started packing their bags: Caterpillar, the Mercantile Exchange, Sears, Motorola, Mitsubishi, etc. In rushes the governor to hand out individual waivers (hmmm…Obamacare, anyone?) to bribe them to stay and forgo hundreds of millions in future taxes. So now some of the largest players are exempt from helping the state mend its gian, gaping budget shortfalls and it just got that much harder for the smaller employers who don't have the governor on speed dial to make ends meet. Unsurprisingly, this is creating a spiral that will be even harder to climb out of from.
By simply havign a basic understanding of economics and listenign to pro-commerce/pro-consumer advisors instead of the rabid left unions and environmentalists, pick your GOP cndidate and things will improve. Choosing a candidate that actually has experience digging in, eliminating the most appalling regulation, and actually leading on the big issues (growth, spending/debt, entitlements, health care) could make a world of difference.
There are several good baseball teams, but if you want to watch the BEST then stick with the Indians, Phillies, Yankees, Red Sox or Cardinals. Try to avoid watching the cubs at all costs.
ReplyDeleteAs far as the NBA is concerned, I definitely agree that these were some of the best playoff series in recent years although I wouldn't go as far as saying "the best since 1998". 2007 stands out in my mind as a good one, the year when Golden State ousted the Mavs in the first round, and the Cavs upset the Pistons in the ECF. The league is full of big babies these days. Lebron just happens to be the biggest (if not Russel Westbrook). He is a 16 year old kid stuck in an NBA superstar's body. He never had the right mentoring or has ever surrounded himself with the right people. At age 18 he was handed a franchise and basically given free reign to do what he wanted for 7 years with a whole city (or state) worshipping him. Now that he is no longer "king" of his own realm we are just starting to see his true colors, both on and off the court...the kind of stuff that was masked by a franchise that truly honored him as their "king". The day he grows up and gets serious about being a winner, the rest of the league will really be in trouble. IF that day ever comes...
I'd have to agree about picking a candidate. But, I'm not sure how many of the GOP candidates can actually get OBAMA out of office. Although, I'm not as committed to this idea as I once was. Actually, it doesn't seem like Obama is as committed as he once was to winning a second time. I can honestly say that he was not prepared to be president. With that in mind I don't want to take chances with people who are still forming there plans and opinions. Ron Paul has been spitting the same crap for years and so has Bachman. I can respect longevity.
ReplyDeleteAs for Lebron. He has the opportunity to get better but he needs to be humbled. He needs scrutiny because he hasn't had it the way other stars have. He's never had to sit behind another player and wonder "why is he playing and I'm not". For God sakes Jordan had to do it. Magic had to watch Bird destroy him a couple times and he also was not "the guy" at first. Lebron needs to find the motivation to set a new bar. To be better than Kobe. He can do it. Does he want to is the question
Magic had to watch Bird destroy him a couple times? Correct me if I'm wrong, but Magic in his rookie season won finals MVP and the title...that pretty much made him "the guy" right away. He was not second to Kareem, he was his equal. And honestly, I don't think Lebron has a bar. After all these years I really dont think Kobe is someone he cares about being better than. There has never been any true competition between the two guys. And besides, I consider them to be in two different eras. What Lebron really needs to do is be the ONE. The one guy who defines his era of basketball. Magic, Jordan, Kobe all examples of being that guy. This new school of players (from 2003 and on) doesn't have that guy yet, Wade being the closest but still not quite.
ReplyDeleteKareem was clearly the Lakers when Magic got drafted. They needed help but it was still Kareem's team. Either way it was a different era your correct. I do believe Lebron can be "The One" but he has to want to. He is going to miss his opportunity if Irving is as good as some think. The rivalry should have been Lebron and Melo but Melo didn't take over the west the way people thought he would. All I know is that it's going to be much harder to go through the East now.
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