"Fair and Balanced" or "The Best Political Team in the UNIVERSE!!!!"

It's amazing to see the differences in reporting between Fox News and CNN.

In the wake of last night's "super-enlightening" debate, the headlines on Fox's website included an article wondering who the winner was and an article about Obama bumming cigarettes on the campaign trail.

CNN's headlines included "Obama picks up second debate win, viewers say" and another one about McCain being too old.

The verdict here is that both of these websites are a joke when it comes to political reporting, and I would submit the only way to get a good barometer of what went on is to...umm...I don't know. You can try reading them both, but that may have the same effectiveness as standing in the middle of a snowball fight.

Personally, I watched about half the debate, and I was disappointed that it was not more like the following:

Domestic Disturbadelphia

This was the scene outside my window at about 5pm yesterday.  We were out on the deck playing a game when we heard a good bit of yelling coming from the bar a couple blocks away (not an entirely strange occurrence).  This followed by siren after siren after siren.  We heard doors slamming and things that sounded like gunshots (we determined they probably weren't (more on gunshots in a moment)) and decided we had to take a look.  When we poked our heads out the window, the above was the scene.  This picture really only shows one angle of it; there were at least 26 police vehicles at the scene here. 

So, what could possibly happen that would warrant a police force larger than that of a medium sized town?  It turns out it was some kid on a dirt bike riding around causing a ruckus.  One kid on a dirtbike (and I guess a number of other people yelling at him).  26 police cars.  

Later that night, Jeremy and I were talking to the neighbors in front of their house at their stoop.  One of the neighbors, Quinn, was demonstrating how his friend, Charlie, was adept at climbing walls (hence his nickname, "Spiderman").  All of a sudden, all we heard was POPPOPPOP POPPOP...Quinn runs inside, Spiderman jumps under the car parked in front of the house, and Jeremy and I realize what was happening and run inside and shut off all the lights and get away from the windows.  Gunshots, at the same bar 200ft away where 26 cops showed up 6 hours earlier.

I suppose this is a normal day in the life in some parts of Brewerytown.  Or, most of Philadelphia, for that matter.  I do, however, feel pretty safe...this house is secure, and the neighbors did tell us they have our backs.  I just wouldn't recommend anyone stop in for a drink at the bar a half block north of 30th and Girard.

5 sorry louts think they're yer mates!

OK, this is what you need to do. Get on facebook. Scroll down to the bottom. Look for where it says "English" (or whatever your current language is). Click on it and select "English (Pirate)."

THEN, enjoy the changes that are made to your facebook page. You can see a few of them in the picture, like "Arrrplications Plank."

Whoever came up with this has both a sense of humor and too much time on their hands at their cushy job at Facebook. I wish more websites had this feature...I would love to read about the Phillies tomorrow on ESPN.com in pirate-speak.

Speaking of which, GAME ONE is today. Exactly zero of ESPN's 15-20 "experts" picked a World Series win for the Phils. Here's hoping they're all completely wrong. The Rays (no offense) BETTER not win a World Series sooner than the Phillies.

George Fox sets an example

Read this: http://www.oregonlive.com/news/index.ssf/2008/09/racial_incident_rattles_george.html

This is a prime example of where many stereotypes about Christians come from. But (in a stereotypical statement of my own), I'm surprised this happened in Oregon and not...Alabama.

These people should be ashamed of themselves. The problem is that they likely are not...I'm sure they'll wind up being televangelists someday.

Then vs. Now

I went back to visit Messiah over this past weekend in between tryout sessions with the Harrisburg Lunatics, who I have played with the last couple of seasons. I saw a few faces I hadn't seen in awhile and had reconnected with some of the people I reconnected with, which was great. I, of course, went back to visit the radio station I used to run, Messiah's campus station, WVMM.

Going back to visit the "V" is always tough...it was my (and Mike's) baby during my time there and I'm proud of what we were able to do with it. Due to a number of reasons I guess, it has kind of gone a little by the wayside since our time there. Sure, there are some improved aspects of the station, but I think laziness has done them in in a number of places.

For a prime example, looky here: WVMM Top 30 2/19/07 and then looky here: Current WVMM Top 30.

Now, at the time of this posting, the second link gives you a playlist updated May 2, 2008. Really? It's 4 weeks into their current semester right now. Also, what's up with only having the artist, and not a specific song or at least an album? Lame. And, disappointing.

For what it's worth, I got the screen shot of the station website circa February 2007 by going to this site web.archive.org. Good fun for when you're bored, or just want to vent about something like this.

I hate politics.

...but this is pretty great.  

In other news...

I jumped out of a plane this past Sunday.  I would highly recommend this activity to anyone.  That is, of course, as long as you have a parachute to deploy.   

Hiatus Over

PHILADELPHIA, Pa --- The blogging hiatus of (the blogger writing here) is officially over for 2008. Normal blogging activies will now resume as originally intended.

This here entry serves no purpose other than the following:

At the behest of others, I'm not going to drop the ball so easily on this. Not that there's anything truly important here, but come on, it's fun.

If you want a real blog that balances issues with fun, go to jerseymike.org. Now THAT's a blogger. He's a fellow Hold Steady fan, show promoter at the splendid ABC microbrewery in Harrisburg, and essentially the Elijah (as in, the prophet) of Harrisburg.

If the rains hold, I'll be jumping out of an airplane this weekend. When it's 10,000 feet in the air. I suppose if that doesn't go well, then I'll drop the ball on this blog again. But that would be a whole other story.

Obligatory sports mention: are the Phillies done? I dare not yet publish a prediction that they are. I trust the Mets and their ability to fail.