Chapter 71.1: Easing Into 2008

Excuse me. I didn't mean to make all that noise as I sat down into a comfy chair to relax for four days. I'm sure I'll move again before the year is out, but I need these days off to regain some energy and the prospect of heading out for Amateur Night isn't making me all warm and fuzzy.

I have much to be happy about that I accomplished in 2007. I "refinished" my novel and I'll make some changes in early 2008 before actively pursuing representation. I also reached several other goals that I had set for myself. So, all in all, I feel pretty good about the passing year.

But 2008 will be mighty different, I believe. Politics will dominate every day discussions, as it did in 2006. The Iowa Caucus takes place in less than a week, for crying out loud. And given the dramatic, tragic assassination yesterday in Pakistan, I can't imagine that international politics -- and God forbid, terrorism -- will become another issue that becomes an increasingly common concern among thinking people.

Of course, there's only so much a person can worry about such things before becoming paralyzed by fear. So we deflect our concerns with meaningless things. Some choose popular culture, and while I'm not averse to a nice movie to divert my mind, I can't tolerate the current crop of morons who seem to captivate so many people. Instead, I'll enter 2008 the way I ended 2007: reading, writing, and solving puzzles.

I may blog again before the year is out, but if I my little thoughts don't cross your paths before the calendar page turns, may you all have a Happy New Year!

Chapter 71: Post-Christmas Wake-Up Call

I hope everyone out there who celebrates Christmas had a wonderful holiday. I know we sure did! I got a bit too comfortable sleeping past 6:15, so this morning was a little difficult. But it's back to the grind for the rest of the week.

The Christmas holiday weekend was quite busy, and I won't bore those five or six readers out there with the gory details. (If you want gory details, read the Charlie Parker books by John Connolly. I'm nearly finished with the first one, published in 1999, and I'm amazed at how well he structures the plot and develops the characters. He's fantastic!) But my legs and mind are tired, so I'll save my deeper thinking for this coming weekend, when my siblings and I will get a head start on a New Year's resolution to write together.

If you've happened upon this site or the Elephant's Bookshelf because you're a fellow writer, feel free to suggest ways to get a group of talented, imaginative people of different levels of writing experience to work together on exercises and develop as a writing group. I'd love to hear from you, because I'm new at the group thing. Writing's usually a pretty solitary task for me.

Chapter 70.9: The Mitchell Report

There's something I must admit about steroids: I've not read the Mitchell Report. I've downloaded it, but it's 409 pages long, and I simply haven't had the time to devote to it yet.

But I've read several news stories, including this one about the Todd Hundley and David Segui connections to the former Mets clubhouse guy, Kirk Radomski, who was dealing the drugs. As a baseball fan, I'm pretty pissed off that so many players -- and you know that it wasn't only the ninety or so that are list -- were using human growth hormone or a variety of steroids. Lots of people talk about how this is a victimless crime; "No one got hurt." Personally, I think they have no idea what they're talking about.

If I were the last cut for my position and didn't make the team because the guy above me was cheating, I'd be furious. It might even be enough for me to stoop to the same level. That's one argument about why Barry Bonds started taking the clear and the cream; he was so jealous of the accolades that Sammy Sosa and Mark McGwire received that he said, "Just wait to see the numbers I put up if I took that stuff."

I used to be in the camp that would argue for including Bonds in the Hall of Fame because he played like one of the all-time greats before using. But my sentiments are changing. With Roger Clemens too. I've never liked either of these players, but I had respect for their abilities. Clemens was always the guy who worked harder than everyone else. I don't doubt that he retained that work ethic; the problem is he took advantage of a substance he had no legal right to use. Who wouldn't want to heal faster than usual and gain strength when your career depends on it? Before Clemens left Boston, he was a fading great; then he went to Toronto, won a couple of Cy Young Awards, and placed him on the path toward more than 350 wins. Better than Greg Maddux? No. Maddux, Glavine, these guys were (and are) true ball players, not bullshitters. I think it's telling that a group of Little League coaches in Texas may disinvite Clemens for a speaking engagement.

One of the articles that I read recently that surprised me was by Murray Chass of the New York Times. He pointed out that sixteen years ago Commissioner Fay Vincent issued a memo to teams. The following is from that article:

Mitchell, however, cites one development in his report that may be its most overlooked element. Mitchell mentions a June 7, 1991, memo Vincent wrote to clubs when he was commissioner in which he added steroids to baseball’s list of banned substances.

After the enactment of a federal law, Mitchell wrote, Vincent advised clubs that baseball’s drug policy prohibited the use of “all illegal drugs and controlled substances, including steroids or prescription drugs for which the individual” doesn’t have a prescription.

The memo should have gotten the clubs’ attention, but it didn’t.

“My memo was totally ignored by all,” Vincent wrote in an e-mail message Sunday. He added: “The point was to alert the baseball world to the recent inclusion of steroids as illegal prohibited substances under federal law. But the union did nothing to underscore my memo and I think the clubs ignored it as irrelevant.”

I don't know what effect this will have to counter the argument that "no one knew" what was going on. If nothing else, it should shut up the stupid fans who say "they weren't doing anything illegal." Yes, they were. Steroids were -- and are -- illegal to possess without a prescription. Perhaps some players received legally prescribed steroid kits, but if they're acquiring it through guys like Radomski, then it's still illegally obtained.

Perhaps my anger will be assuaged with time, but this is not a story that will be quieted by spring training. This is a cloud over the game for the forseeable future. For at least five years and probably more. Rafael Palmeiro will never be elected to the Hall of Fame. Neither will Mark McGwire or Sammy Sosa, and even Bonds and Clemens will probably miss out on being elected in their first year of eligibility.

One last note for now: The Mitchell Report is effectively an argument; the players basically kept their mouths shut, so the court of public opinion is decidedly against the quiet ones. But the Mitchell Report can't be taken as the definite truth -- not yet. But I think all of the named players will have a difficult time proving that Mitchell was wrong.

Chapter 70.8: Keep the Journey Going!

I have heard some bad news about a TV show that I've come to enjoy. Journeyman on NBC apparently is being cancelled. I'd miss this show, which is well written and entertaining. If you've not seen it, it may sound a little predictable: it's about a man who travels back in time. Yes, time travel has been done -- many times, some not as well as others.

I think I've seen each episode -- which this the third in a row of entertaining Monday night shows on NBC, Chuck, Heroes, and Journeyman -- and with each episode I like Kevin McKidd more and more. I honestly think he's become one of the best television actors going. Those of you who watched Rome on HBO know him as Lucius Vorenus. He made that potentially dour character into a truly captivating everyman (if we were living in Julian and Augustan Rome, that is). And in Journeyman, he does the same thing with Dan Vasser, a talented journalist with a gambling past, a "late" fiance who is a time traveler too, and a wife and child. His brother is a by-the-book cop who used to date Dan's wife, Katie. And Katie is a once and future TV news reporter. While struggling to write enough stories to keep his job, Vasser goes back and forth tracking people who need help. And his departures do not go unnoticed. Once when and his wife are on a plane, for example, he vanishes causing the plane to be returned to the airport since this is post-9/11 America. And that disappearance is often referenced in subsequent episodes.

Anyway, it's well written and it deserves not only to continue but to command a devoted audience. Clearly, such an audience has started to emerge, as people are writing blogs calling for NBC to save Journeyman and starting a petition to send Rice-a-Roni (the show takes place in San Francisco) to the decision makers.

I don't know that my sending a box of rice at the holidays will do anything to change someone's mind, but I don't mind writing a blog entry myself saying Yes, Save Journeyman! I'll keep watching, and I encourage others to do the same. And whatever Kevin McKidd does next, I'll be watching.

Chapter 70.75: Oh, the Deep Places You Will Go

I was fascinated by an article in Tuesday's Science Times about the eating habits of baleen whales. Apparently, a group of marine biologists were studying several baleen whales and trying to record the latest hit Fin Whale Song. But the whales they found weren't singing, they were hungry.

Their study may have been considered wasted time except another biologist recognized that this was the first analyzable data of these whales feeding. It turns out that most of the suppositions about how these giants feed were all wrong. What they do is launch themselves hundreds of feet down into schools of krill -- tiny shrimplike creatures that are the favorite meal of fin whales -- but as they approach, they open their large mouth, which acts like a parachute to slow the whale down. This massive creature can stop on a dime -- well, it takes three seconds, which is mighty fast when you're talking about an 80-ton finback; your train doesn't do that. This is pretty interesting stuff to a whale geek like me.

I might have let it go at that, but then I received an email from one of my brothers noting the excellent crossword puzzle word that the article included: "rorqual," which is a group of baleen whales that includes the fin whale, the Minke whale, the humpback, and the blue whale. I went to Wikipedia to learn a little more about rorquals and discovered that there's another type of whale in there that I'd never heard of. It's called Balaenoptera omurai and it was only discovered four years ago in waters outside Japan. Whether it's a distinct species has yet to be determined, but it resembles a fin whale, only smaller. According to the wikipedia entry, it's likely to be called Omura's Whale, after the Japanese cetologist who discovered it.

To me, this little experience is a perfect example of how newspapers, simple curiosity, and the Internet blend to educate the world. Pretty deep stuff.

Chapter 70.6: Holiday Spirits

Though I enjoy reading the New York Times, I don't usually expect to find much that's funny. But I just came across a NYT City room blog entry that left me laughing and wondering whether I could find this party next year: SantaCon NYC.

It took place this past Saturday, but it sounds like an easy thing to put together. Take one part Christmas spirit (full Christmas regalia: a Santa Claus outfit -- not just a hat -- or some associated costume such as sexy elf, horny reindeer, etc.), add a dose of Christmas secrecy, and cap off with copious amounts of alcohol.

To be honest, I'm too old to party like that for eighteen hours. I don't even do that on St. Patrick's Day anymore. So I probably won't be joining the party, but it sounds like a lot of fun. Lots of Ho Ho Ho-ing, although there may also have been too many scenes that would remind folks of Dan Aykroyd in Trading Places.

But if anyone cares to share what they did this past weekend while partying in New York or anywhere, feel free to do so here. Photos requested but not mandatory.

Chapter 70.5: Mickey Mouse Trial

Oh, the things we lose when television writers are on strike! You may not have heard about this, because Letterman, Leno, and Jon Stewart don't have people putting words in their mouths currently, but Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck were issued summonses to appear in court in Italy.

No, they have not been accused of any terrorist act or mooning unsuspecting children from the back of an Alfa Romeo. They were asked to defend themselves in a case of a Chinese man who allegedly counterfeited their images. The man is accused of peddling toys with the images of the Disney characters. (Note, the image used above is not one of those being peddled. But it was so disturbing, I just had to borrow it to illustrate the point that unauthorized usage of cartoon characters can be dangerous.)

Mickey and the Donald were expected to appear yesterday; apparently someone didn't realize they are fictional characters. (I can picture it now: "But your honor, I met them both when I took my children to Disney World last year!") No word yet on what the hell Goofy was doing.

Chapter 70.4: Shoot the Moon

I would love to go to the moon. Ever since I was a little kid and NASA was sending guys up with the Saturn rockets, floating around the world in Skylab, and 'rendezvousing' with the Russians, I have been a space-ophile.

So the latest announcement from the X Prize Foundation that a team has registered for the $30 million Lunar X Prize is a cause for celebration. The goal of the Lunar X Prize isn't merely to return to the moon, it's to make it more accessible and commercially viable. I don't expect to have the cash to put a downpayment on a flight any time soon, but if these folks or others are able to succeed, perhaps it will be possible one day to venture off this wonderful planet and explore the neighborhood.

Good luck to the Odyssey Moon team. Ad luna!

Chapter 70.3: Hall of Almost

Somehow I missed this piece in the New York Times about the "Hall of Merit." Years ago, I had a similar idea -- that is, I consider some players members of the "Hall of Almost Famous."

What these folks are doing is admirable: they're trying to evaluate players from the whole of baseball history using the benefit of a broader array of statistics. No one really cared about on-base percentage until the mid-1980s, for example. Correction -- most baseball writers didn't care about on-base percentage. Or WHIP for pitchers. That is, walks plus hits per innings pitched.

It's not as though people didn't think of those things, however. I remember listening to Ralph Kiner announcing Mets games when Jerry Koosman was pitching for them in the late '70s. He'd talk about how his record was bad, but he was pitching well. "You can tell that because he's given up nearly a hit an inning," the ol' power hitter said. I've often felt Kiner was an underrated announcer. I'd like to see him considered for the Hall of Fame as an announcer as well as a player.

But back to my point. The Baseball Think Factory has reevaluated all the game's players and allowed their small group to vote players into their own Hall of Merit. Players like Joe Adcock, Bert Blyleven, Jim Kaat, Tommy John, Vada Pinson should be reconsidered. I think they'd probably all remain in the Hall of Almost; I've not checked yet what Baseball Think Factory has determined. I'd say Gil Hodges too, though I know there's a strong contingent of Brooklynites and Dodger fans who'd like him in the actual Hall of Fame.

I've read several arguments about whether Tim Raines belongs in the Hall of Fame; he's eligible this year for the first time. I watched him play a lot when he was an Expo, and he was an excellent ballplayer. I'd have loved to have him on the Mets. Back in the '80s. I don't know if it was all the running he'd done early in his career, all the years on the turf in Montreal, or the drugs he did in the '80s, but once he turned thirty, his career went into a slow but steady decline. When he arrived in New York as a Yankee, he remained a solid complementary player. The question, then, is whether his years as the best leadoff man in the National League were enough to warrant his induction into the Hall.

The Hall of Merit says yes. Matt's Hall of Almost Famous puts him on the bubble. If I were a voter, I'd strongly consider him. But I don't think he should gain immediate induction. Others disagree with me, but I think players voted in during their first year of eligibility are more special, more worthy. I think there's a major difference between Tom Seaver and Phil Niekro. Niekro had more wins and played mostly on worse teams, but Seaver was simply on a different level. And it's not simply because Seaver threw a great fastball and slider and Niekro was a knuckleballer. Lots of people don't even think Niekro should be in the Hall at all.

The article also says Dave Stieb should be in the Hall of Fame. I thought he was a very good pitcher, and it's a shame that he just missed out on a perfect game, but I just don't think he's a Hall of Famer. He pitched in an era with lots of mediocre pitchers, it's true, but he never came close to winning the Cy Young Award, never won twenty games in a season... How can you say he was one of the best pitchers of his era? Because he had a good WHIP? That's true, but is that really enough? Ask Jerry Koosman. His ERA was better than Stieb's, posted a nearly identical WHIP, won 222 games (while playing for some really abysmal Mets teams), and came in second in the 1976 Cy Young Award voting. Where's the hue and cry for putting Koos into the Hall?

Koosman was a darn good pitcher. But he's not a Hall of Famer. Neither is Dave Stieb. Was Tim Raines better than Lou Brock? There's lots of statistics that would say yes. But Brock may have been a more important player. I think that matters too -- at least to Hall of Fame voters.

Well, I suppose I should read the Factory site. I'd enjoy a good baseball argument tonight.

Chapter 70.2: Cars of the Future

The other day, two different press announcements crossed my desk touting the importance (and novelty) of environmentally friendly cars and fuel. Now, I'm quite pleased with the 35 miles per gallon I get from an old Honda that's closing in on 200,000 miles, but I wouldn't mind driving a car that looks like what you see above. The "Wingless Bird" is called the Aptera -- Greek for "wingless flight" -- and it's not yet in full production. But it is a hybrid that is claiming 300 mpg. Of course, that comes with a caveat: the all-electric version only goes 120 miles per charge (think northern New Jersey to central Connecticut), or 600 miles in the plug-in hybrid (the one that gets upwards of 300 mpg). Doing the incredibly simple math, that means it holds two gallons of gas. I can hold more than that in my little red plastic jug for the lawnmower.

If this vehicle becomes a reality, it could do wonders for transportation. Think of it, you have a full tank and a plastic jug in the passenger compartment and you can go 1,200 miles or so. I suspect you won't go any faster than 45-55 miles per hour, but if you've got the tunes cranking, that'll be enough, right? And girls will look at you (as they pass) and say, "Damn, that guy's car looks cool."

The other option is to drive from Paris to Timbuktu using chocolate as fuel. Sounds like a fantasy. Well, yeah, in a way it is. These Brits aren't dropping nuggets of Cadbury into the tank. They're using biofuels that began life as waste chocolate that was converted to cocoa butter.

Their trip is basically a publicity event, and if I were from Timbuktu, I'd be a little offended. They chose the destination because "Timbuktu is renowned as being the back of beyond, the furthest place away that you can possibly imagine and if we can make it there with bio-fuel there's no reason why motorists can't use it on the school run or on their commute to work," said Andy Pag, one of the Euro-tree-huggers behind the wheel.

While a three-week trip through the Sahara sounds like a good way to promote a solar-powered car, Pag and his pal John Grimshaw will drive a chocolate-powered truck ("lorry" for my British and Irish friends) to promote Ecotec, which I've never heard of before this article.

All in all, I'd say there's a bright future for publicity of environmentally friendly cars. I'm all for it. As long as you can keep the prices at a reasonable level and make fuel accessible, I'll drive anything earth friendly.

Chapter 70.3: What I Really Want to Do Is Direct

This is my first attempt at posting a video on my blog. I don't know if there are size limitations. (I'm already assuming there's limited interest.) But this is one of the early interactions between our puma, Riley, and his new little sister, Oreo. There's no audio to this, so don't worry if you don't hear anything.

Anyway, aside from wanting to experiment with video, this post is to show our cats for the children they are.

As always, comments are always welcome. Especially you, Cammy.

Oh, it's a large file because I don't know yet how to compress video from a camera.


Ok, this was a failure. Some other time.

Chapter 70.15: Food for Thought

The Winter Meetings are upon us, and Omar has begun with an incomprehensible move. Lastings Milledge to the Nationals for Ryan Church and Brian Schneider. I don't mind the departure of Milledge, but wasn't Billy Beane supposedly interested in him? Does this mean that Beane's holding onto Dan Haren and Joe Blanton?

Last I heard of Ryan Church, he was Frank Robinson's whipping boy. And while Schneider's a good catcher, I'm not sure he's going to stay long; with Johnny Estrada and the re-signed Ramon Castro already in the fray, I can't help but think that one of the two newcomers is about to be shuffled off. I'd keep Schneider, unless he can bring back a starting pitcher.

God, this off-season is almost as frustrating as last September was!

Chapter 70.1: Turkey Time!

Ah, Thanksgiving! One of those uniquely American holidays that we should all be thankful for. Not only does it allow most of us to enjoy a four-day weekend, it also focuses on two of my favorite things: family and food. (I'd add football too, because it sounds good with the other "f" sounds, but I'm really a baseball guy.)

This year, my wife and I have gotten a break. For the first time in a few years, we've not volunteered to host Thanksgiving. I'm really glad, too, because work for me was very busy, and with the new kitten, Oreo, we've had a lot more tasks taking up our time than usual.

But enough about me. It's time for us all to go over the river and through the woods to the in-laws' house. Watch some football, drink some beer, eat lots of food, and laugh into the night. Have a happy Thanksgiving, everyone! And if you're waking up early to partake in the various Black Friday sales, drive carefully. There are other nutjobs on the road too. Man, what's the deal with all the 4 a.m. store openings this year? That's a different topic...

Chapter 70: Don't Squeeze the Charmin When You Wipe Your Tears

Mr. Whipple has died. Dick Wilson, who played the supermarket manager in hundreds of commercials (more than 500, according to this article in the Washington Post), passed away on what happened to be National Toilet Day.

Personally, I have amassed an astonishing amount of worthless information in my tiny brain about all manner of trivial matters; yet, even I had no idea there was a National Toilet Day until last week. (Before Mr. Whipple died, mind you. It happens to be a family member's birthday, which became a source of amusement for me and that person's spouse. Tee hee hee!) Whether I'll continue to celebrate the day in which we remember that only 20 percent of the world have access to "improved sanitation," is anyone's guess.

But I enjoyed the Post article, because it was willing to ponder things I'd not seen in print before. I've only talked about these things with my wife and random friends and drinking buddies in bars. Things like: Why do people in commercials wipe toilet paper across their face? How bad was toilet paper in the '60s? Do bears who shit in the woods need soft "bathroom tissue"? And is the aloe in multi-ply toilet paper good for the pipes?

Alas, now poor Mr. Whipple has flushed off his mortal coil. Say hello to the Ty-D-Bowl man, for us.

Chapter 69.95: The Cat Trial of the Century

As the owner now of two cats, I can't help but respond to this recent article that appeared in the New York Times. Apparently, a bird watcher shot a cat with a .22 calibre rifle because he believed it was killing the birds. He doesn't deny that he shot the cat. The point of contention in the suit is whether the cat was feral.

I don't know how the law treats questions of feralness (ferality?), but this sounds like a clear case of animal cruelty to me. We took in a stray kitten just this week, gave it a name the other night, and are slowly introducing it to our other cat -- who probably wishes he had a .22 in the closet right now that he could use on the small quadriped that's taking some attention away from him -- and I'd say this cat is no longer feral. She's quite comfortable living here, accepting our pets and attention in return for lots of purrs, soft mews, and an inordinate amount of methane gas. (Surely those field mice and moles have worked through you system by now, Oreo. What on earth is wrong with your intestines?!)

Beyond that, how can a man who loves animals shoot and kill a cat? Is he not human?

Humans care for those who are less fortunate than themslves, like Texas toll collector John Newland, who named Mama Cat. The cat lived under a toll bridge but gladly accepted food and toys and bedding from Mr. Newland. I won't get into the vitriolic debate between bird bloggers and cat bloggers, who are writing hateful posts about the other, but I'll say this: a man who would kill a defenseless animal (I don't think the claws and teeth were any threat to the admitted cat killer) is no better than a thief. He deserves punishment.

I don't think it's as heinous a crime as rape or murder of a person, but it's despicable and cannot be condoned. The two years and $10,000 he faces seem appropriate to me.

Chapter 69.93: If I Only Had a Name

The little girl has been christened with a name. Meet Oreo. Her mom wouldn't allow any clothing-related names that dad suggested, such as Tuxedo, Mukluk, or Bowtie. (All right, I actually didn't suggest Bowtie -- even I think that's a dumb name for a cat.) Since little Oreo has been confined to my wife's home office for the past few days, I suggested we name her after the cat from The Office. However, I couldn't picture either of us calling this cat Sprinkles, and that cat's life ends badly. No one needs to be saddled with that kind of ominous name. And Fart Monster wasn't kind either, though incredibly appropriate so far.

And mom wasn't keen on Orca, either. But Oreo's coloring, which inspired the Orca appellation, led to her eventual name.

Oreo also has a job. Like most kids these days, she's comfortable with technology and has already become quite familiar with the keyboard, the CD-ROMs, and of course the mouse. So Oreo has become the IT Specialist -- as seen above. Note: the photo a couple posts ago of a kitten with a toy computer is not actually our little Oreo but an incredible facsimile. That post was created before this little bundle of shaky nerves (she likes coffee, too) entered our yard and our lives.

Chapter 69.9: New Arrival

We've been blessed with a challenge. An abandoned kitten discovered our home the other day, and -- despite our established cat's initial objections -- we've brought this little girl into our family. She's going to be a handful, I'm sure, but she's starving for attention and love.

Her big brother will be getting lots of love and attention too, as he's got to know he's still #1. But in time we hope he'll be a good older brother. We expect he'll let us know pretty soon whether he can handle the change, and it will have to be on his terms.

Chapter 69.8: A Mathematician's Proposal

In my daily search for new and interesting news, I recently came across an interesting post on the site of the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. It was written by a mathematician who was expanding on remarks Paul Krugman made in his blog about economics.

Krugman wrote, "I'll be using this space to present the kind of information I can't provide on the printed page -- especially charts and tables, which are crucial to the way I think about most of the issues I write about." Krugman then introduces a graph that presents a picture of income distribution in the country by displaying the share of total income earned by the richest 10 percent of Americans.

The mathematician, Michael C. Burke, then goes into an interesting discussion about Krugman's observations on the seemingly idyllic period of the 1950s -- the time during which "Middle Class America" became the symbol that it was for much of the '70s and '80s and into the '90s. America's golden period of equality. Krugman had supplied a chart of income distribution, which showed a relative flat period in which income was more equitably shared. In case anyone was unclear, such equality no longer exists in America. Since the 1980s -- the late '80s especially (and I suspect that has a lot to do with the tax reform act of 1986, though I'm no economist) -- the United States has seen its share of income diverge quickly. To show that this isn't simply about which party is in power, the Democrats were in power in Congress during the late '80s and the Republicans had their Newt Revolution in the mid '90s, when Krugman's "Great Divergence" occured; moreover, Reagan and Clinton were the presidents at those respective times.

But Burke has a broader comment to make. He calls for teachers -- especially college professors -- to redesign their curricula.

[M]y larger point here is that the content of our thoughts and the depth of our understanding are dependent on the tools we bring to the task. What we think is intertwined with how we think. And the ability to think in terms of quantitative data, in terms of tables and graphs, is indispensable for understanding our modern world. This should be part of what we teach all our students -- not just students in selected courses or selected majors.

With that aim in mind, I would propose that we begin by redesigning our freshman and sophomore writing programs in order to place a significant emphasis on working with quantitative data, and on the visual representation of that data. We write, after all, to figure out what we think. And we ask our students to write so that they will learn how to think.

This is not the first time I've heard this argument, but I think Burke proposes it well. I don't work as a professor, though I was trained as a teacher, and I've toyed with the idea of tutoring math and English on the side -- perhaps as soon as next fall. Burke is right, in my opinion, but I'm not sure whether his direction is the right one; I think he's right that we need to inform our youth better about how to think and how to recognize absurdities in mathematical "answers." But I think it goes beyond teaching freshman.

I heartily recommend that everyone read John Allen Paulos's book Innumeracy. He cleverly points out how badly most Americans -- not simply students -- handle simple math problems. Percentages, probabilities. He helps readers recognize the flaws in their reasoning. If we can teach a couple generations of Americans how to reason, boy that would help improve our state in the world.

Chapter 69.7: Random Q&A on a Sunny, New York Morning

Q: Why do commuter trains scheduled to arrive at a certain time sometimes arrive several minutes later?
A: A variety of reasons, most of which are beyond the control of the train's engineer or conductor. Sit back and enjoy the ride. Read a book. Do a puzzle. Catch up on sleep.

Q: Why is it cold in early November when the sun is shining so brightly and the sky is blue?
A: It has to do with direct sunlight and the angle of the planet. The earth is actually closer to the sun during the winter -- at least in the Northern hemisphere. But the sun's rays strike a more glancing blow across the Northern hemisphere at that time. Seasons change. Talk to the moon.

Q: Why did Mets third baseman David Wright win the Gold Glove award?
A: Because it's a popularity contest, like most things in life. He works hard, plays hard, everyone likes him, and he deserves to be liked. In a few years when he has the inevitable bad year or one of his parents gets sick or, God forbid, dies, and he lashes out at the fanbase that doesn't seem to understand why he can't hit .315 and hit 30 homers every year, then he'll look back and question why he plays a kids game. Then it'll come back to him, and he'll rebound with an MVP-caliber season. Because he's a damn good ball player, that's why.

Q: Why do bad things happen to good people?
A: Because Einstein was wrong, and God does play with dice. In fact, the Almighty has a bit of a problem, but he refuses to go into a 12-step program because he doesn't believe in a higher power. Who are we to tell God he's wrong?

Q: Why is oatmeal bland?
A: It's a twist on the previous two questions. Good things happen to people, but they're not necessarily exciting. And working hard isn't always its own reward, sometimes you need a lower cholesterol count too. Think of oatmeal as your quest to win the Gold Glove award. Most players don't think of it that way, but then strikeouts are on the rise too. Go figure.

Q: Are there aliens?
A: Of course. They stream in over the border every day. I've met legal aliens, and they work hard and care about their families, and I'm generally happy to know them.

Q: No, I mean space aliens?
A: We've sent about two dozen people to another planet. Some did a fly-by, twelve walked there; they all returned. These days we keep our space aliens in near-earth orbit.

Q: Seriously, I mean beings from another planet?
A: I'm from the government and I'm here to help.

Q: Why won't you answer my questions?
A: I've answered everything you ask. You simply don't like all my answers. Next time, don't vote for me. The personal accolades are nice, but I'm just happy to help out the team.

Chapter 69.6: This is Fun!

Before I go too far, I was looking for an image to depict juvenile aliens, and when I found the one I finally selected I couldn't help but laugh. Every once in a while, the world needs a little PG-13 in an otherwise family site.

Anyway, back to my point: While I'm nowhere near the pace I need to reach my goal of 50,000 words, I'm enjoying the story I've created for my NaNo WriMo entry. It's a quasi-science fiction work. I won't go into too much detail here, but I'm writing about alien abductions (no, I've never experienced one, thank God) and college. And it's chock full of goofy stuff and oddball characters, which is as I like it. I generally write serious stuff in which some characters might have a good sense of humor, but I've been reading a lot of Christopher Moore the past year or so, and I'm really enjoying the funny, irreverent way he can tell a story. This is my homage to Christopher Moore.

Hopefully, some of my fellow writers will visit. Stop for a moment and sip a cupa coffee. Talk some trash, or spin a yarn, or cast aspersions. I won't judge.

Chapter 69.5: Got Candy?

Chapter 69.4: Simmering Hot Stove

Ouch! That's hot! No, not a Paris Hilton reference, I'm talking about something much more important. The World Series wasn't even over and the off-season had already begun. Of course, Mr. Premature Exclamation and his sidekick Money Boy (aka, Scott Boras and Alex Rodriguez) decided to finally get a hit during the World Series -- since A-Rod can't get there by any other means.

In an effort to extract himself from The Curse of A-Rod, Money Boy has decided to forego roughly $75 million over the next three years with the expectation that he can earn all that and more. He's probably right, though I actually believe the Yankees won't sign him. They'll have enough problems of their own trying to salvage their franchise. With Joe Girardi annointed as the manager, I suspect the exodus of big names will continue. Rumors abound that catcher Jorge Posada doesn't like his former backup, so perhaps he'll find his money elsewhere. I've predicted that Mariano Rivera will take his Hall of Fame career down the NJ Turnpike to Philadelphia, where he'd turn the Phillies into instant favorites to win the National League East -- if they weren't already.

Then today we hear about Joe Torre's reported conversations with the Los Angeles Dodgers -- and subsequently, Grady Little quits as their manager. Of course, Torre and Don Mattingly, whose son is playing in the Dodgers' farm system, are saying the right things; no one seems to be commenting on the requirement that a minority candidate be considered for the job.

Will this stream of hot stove baseball news stop before Spring Training? Already, the free agent declarations are being filed. The Astros just signed Brad Ausmus for another year. (But who cares, it's just a one-year, $2 million contract.) And we've not even learned who will win all the accolades for their successes during 2007. Then there'll be the general managers' meetings... It goes on and on. My wife was just starting to enjoy the off-season.

Chapter 69.3: Happy Halloween!

My wife and I, who both enjoy a good horror film or episode of Ghost Hunters, went with some friends to the Nightmare Haunted House in New York. It was a blast! The Lower East Side venue looked like an old church, though I don't believe that's what it was.

Groups of twelve were allowed into the haunted house at one time. We wove our way through cramped hallways, never knowing when a masked person might pop out. In many rooms the the looming presence was quite obvious, standing before us or waiting in a corner for the right moment to make a person jump or scream. Each room had a different theme. In one, we had to walk over a bed that looked like someone it had been the scene of a bloodletting. I was in the lead at that point, and a woman dressed completely in black jumped upon the bed; there was nowhere to go, so I had to follow her up over the bed. In another room, at least a dozen bodies in white shrouds stood blocking the path; the room was filled with them. I wasn't sure whether I was allowed to walk through them or if they'd eventually open up some space. When I tried to go around one of them, he moved into my direction -- several times. He wouldn't let me go. It wasn't scary so much as it was confusing. But it was fun.

Also a lot of fun was the bar. Once you had your ticket, you could pre-game in the bar and get a pleasant buzz before entering the haunted house. (In addition to the basic generic beer choices, a nice touch was the brand of wine they served: Gato Negro -- black cat.) But if you're looking for a nice scare, get your tickets soon; the house closes after November 3.

Chapter 69.2: Rox & Sox

We're all set, now. The Boston Red Sox vs. the Colorado Rockies in the 2007 World Series. Depending on how well the Rockies are able to maintain the momentum they had in sweeping through the first two rounds of the playoffs, this could be a memorable series.

After seeing how the Red Sox came back against a very good Indians team, I find it hard to believe the upstart Rockies will be able to overcome them. But anything can happen in a short series. My prediction: Red Sox win, 4 games to 2.

Chapter 69.1: My Hat's Off, But Don't Cry for Joe Torre

As a young Mets fan, I had a special feeling for Joe Torre. He briefly worked as a player manager -- almost as uncommon in the 70s as it is unknown in the 21st century -- and to my eyes seemed like the perfect man to lead the misfit Mets. I felt bad when the Mets fired him -- just when they seemed to be making progress! -- and happy when he took the Atlanta Braves to the playoffs in 1982.

While Yankees fans were unimpressed when he became the manager of their team in 1996, I was happy to see him return to New York. And as impossible as it is for me to say this, I almost rooted for him when they beat the Braves in the '96 World Series. Almost. When Jim Leyritz hit that home run that turned the tide, my hatred of the franchise returned.

When a man takes his team to the playoffs for twelve consecutive years, you'd think his job would be secure. A team that appears in six World Series in twelve years -- you'd think the job would be secure. But, no, they ask him to take a 33 percent paycut and sign a one-year contract, ostensibly to train his likely replacement, Don Mattingly, and look like a money-grubbing weakling to his players. The Yankees have every right to not re-sign their manager, whose contract had ended. But to most fans -- Yankees fans or not -- their actions are an insult to a dignified man. Yes, he would still have had the highest salary for a manager, but he deserved better treatment.

Whether the Yankees hire Mattingly, Joe Girardi, Luis Sojo, Bobby Valentine, Tony La Russa, or Buck Showaler, I expect them to struggle next year. Mariano Rivera, who is on the downside of his career but still effective, has said he won't return if Torre doesn't. Roger Clemens is done. Jorge Posada is a free agent, but I expect they'll re-sign him. And their much lauded young arms are still inexperienced. They will not have the steadying hand of Torre around; let's see whether that matters.

But Torre will be fine; of that I have no doubt. He could easily become the highest paid analyst in television -- not manager money, of course, but it would keep him in the public eye and keep his endorsement options wide open. Or he could manage elsewhere. Is Tom Trembley's spot in Baltimore really secure? Probably. And Torre might not want to manage in the same division as the Yankees just yet. The Royals have some good young players. They could use a steadying influence, though he's really done better with established ball clubs. So, ditto the Pirates, whose managerial spot is open too.

I suspect Torre won't manage in 2008; he'll be in TV land for a year. But by 2009, if Willie Randolph falters with the Mets, I could see Torre having a triumphant return to help open Citi Field. Stranger things have happened.

Chapter 69: Rocking Good Time

The Rockies win the pennant! The Rockies win the pennant. The Rockies win the ...

No, it just doesn't have the same ring to it that other teams might have created, though, to be honest, neither does "Congratulations to the National League Champion Diamondbacks," though we've heard that and more in the past.

But, as a National League fan, I do wish former Met Clint Hurdle and his team well in the World Series, whether they play the Indians or the Red Sox -- both of which will give them a run for their money. I'm surprised that Arizona wasn't able to break the Rockies winning streak, and I'd be more surprised if they can sweep their eventual World Series opponent. But stranger things have happened.

For now, the Rockies have to withstand nine days of dormancy. Let's see what kind of club they have when they finally take part in their first ever World Series.

Chapter 68.9: 700 Years and Counting

My, how the time doth fly. Seven hundred years already? Feels like only a century or two. That's right, today is the seven hundredth anniversary of the arrest and masacre of the Knights Templar. The legend (and after 700 years, I think most things are either legends or matters of faith) is that King Philip IV of France was in deep to the Templars -- who, despite their vows of poverty, were the richest mo-fos in the world, in part because they invented checking and were pretty swift with a sword, so no one was going to say "Yeah, you and what army" when Vinny Templar came looking for his cut.) So Phil, with the help of Pope Clement, set out to wipe out his debts in one fell swoop and take out the Templars to boot. That occurred on October 13, 1307. It was a Friday (though I'm no savant, so I'll take that calendar thing as a matter of faith), which some say is why Friday the 13th became associated with bad luck.

Of course, there are other theories about Friday the 13th, and since today's Saturday, I'm not going to expound on that. If you're interested, I encourage you to use your library card.

Why should I care about this date? No real reason. But for many years, my wife and I have joked about the Sinclair connection to the Knights Templar. Those who read or watched The DaVinci Code should be aware of Roslin Castle, which is a Sinclair castle in Scotland that contains numerous Templar and Masonic references. The Sinclairs were key leaders in the Knights Templar. There is also a legend (and this is clearly at best a legend, no basis in fact as far as I'm aware) that the Sinclairs are derived from the daughter of Jesus and Mary Magdalene and were somehow in the Merovingian line -- a point I don't even see in Wikipedia, so I'm certainly not giving it much credibility.

Like I said, I've got no real reason to pay this much attention. However, if you heard the news yesterday (Oh boy...), you may have heard that the Knights Templar were granted a reprieve on the charges of heresy, which were Pope Clement's basis for allowing Philip to send his hit squads out to arrest and kill the Templars. Oh well, what's 700 years between friends? Happy Friday the 13th, enjoy your Saturday!

Chapter 68.7: This Championship Season

A quick note before bed: Though the Rockies have taken the first game of their series with the Diamondbacks, I'll make my predictions about the NLCS and the ALCS.

Red Sox vs. Indians: Red Sox in 7 games -- tough series and it could be one for the ages. This may be the start of a long-term rivalry, especially if the Yankees start to disintegrate.

Diamondbacks vs. Rockies: Rockies in 6 -- this is also a tough series to predict, and I didn't expect the Rockies to defeat Brandon Webb. But I don't think they can continue to win with the regularity they've displayed, no matter how impressive it is.

Chapter 68.6: Philly Phlop!

Yes, the Mets could have done just as bad as this -- perhaps even worse. In fact, the way they ended the year, they did perform even worse. But I didn't expect the Rockies to sweep the Phillies. And with the Diamondbacks doing the same to the Cubs (any team can have a bad century!), we are facing baseball's first All-Mountain Time Zone championship series.

The Red Sox have just a couple outs to go before their sweep. And, God willing, we'll have a clean sweep after tonight.

Funny, I thought I wouldn't really enjoy this post-season.

Chapter 68.1: Pizza!

I don't want to suggest that by feeding the blogger (and his wife), anyone can get words of thanks on the blog. But I do want to thank Cammy and Frank for their generous gift of pizza from Chicago. (Oh yeah, I believe there were cheesecakes, too, though I've not actually seen them. ;-) The package arrived at a perfect time -- as you know, Cammy -- and our cat is pleased to have another sturdy box to play in. By the way, the photo to the side is not the actual pizza (or beer, for that matter), just an incredible facsimile.

Chapter 68: Playoff Predictions

Not much time this morning, so I'll be quick:

Red Sox vs. Angels: From what I've read, the Angels have lost their center fielder, Gary Matthews, for the playoffs as well as Bartolo Colon -- who really wasn't much of a factor this year, so I don't think that's too significant. More important are the question marks about Vladimir Guererro. If he's out or not up to snuff, the Angels are done already. The Red Sox have too much talent to lose in the short series. My prediction: Red Sox in 4.

Indians vs. Yankees: I hate to say it, but I think the Yankees will advance to the ALCS. They've dominated the Indians this year (6-0) and in the short series, they have a distinct advantage. But the Indians have a strong 1-2 punch, so the Yankee hater in me has hope. I think this will be a hard-fought series, but if the Indians can't win with Cy Young candidate C.C. Sabathia, they've got little hope. My prediction: Yankees in 5.

Rockies vs. Phillies: This could be the most exciting series of the early round. The Rockies went 14-1 over the last few weeks of the season and won an exciting playoff game against the Padres to qualify for their second-ever post-season berth. While the Phils' pitching is decidedly mediocre, they've been doing well lately. I think some folks will be surprised to see more scoring in Philadelphia's stadium than in Coors Field, which may actually give the Rockies a slight advantage. I'd love to be wishy-washy and call this a pick 'em series, but I'll go out on a limb. My prediction: Rockies in 5.

Diamondbacks vs. Cubs: I'd love to see the Cubs advance, and they very well might. But this team had the worst record of all post-season qualifiers. While the Diamondbacks scored relatively few runs (less than they allowed -- not a good sign, especially when you have a stud like reigning Cy Young Award winner Brandon Webb), their pitching staff includes battle-tested Livan Hernandez. Again, this is a tough series to gauge. My prediction: Cubs in 5.

Chapter 67.4: Rockies Mountain High, Humidor Style

Congratulations to the Colorado Rockies. Note to the Mets: the Rockies made the post-season because of pitching, particularly their bullpen. The amazing thing is that for years no one thought a team in Denver could win because of the thin air and necessarily spacious ballpark. But once they started tossing the balls in the humidor and built a team that believed it could win, it was able to meet its goals. They've still got a lot to prove, but they're already more interesting to watch than a bunch of guys cleaning out their lockers.

Chapter 67.35: Free Willie?

That scant number of people who've been reading my blog may have noticed one person I'm not blaming for the Mets meltdown. Willie Randolph. Do I think he's without blame? Of course not. I think, for example, that Humber should have gotten the start that Brian Lawrence had, but I understand the reasoning for not using him. I think he's made some strange decisions -- from double switches he chose not to make to pinch hitters he chose not to use at particular times -- but I don't think he's to blame for the debacle that has made the Mets the butt of jokes for the entire off-season and probably well into the next decade.

He's going to have to win early in 2008; this team cannot afford to sleepwalk any more, regardless of how much of a makeover the roster receives.

But right now the problem is about the pitching staff mostly -- starters and relievers. Willie tried to put his best guys in there -- Heilman and Feliciano in particular -- but they kept giving up hits. Mota had a few good innings at the end, but none of these guys seems able to pitch more than one inning any more.

There's a lot of work to do, and a lot of blame to spread around. Perhaps from that crap, something worthwhile will grow. But for now, they just smell putrid.

Chapter 67.3: Choke!

They're done. So here's what I think we're looking at for over the off-season:

I don't know the contract status of all the guys, but I believe that many current players will be gone. For example, Paul LoDuca is in the final year of his contract, and unless he's willing to take a shorter-term contract than I suspet he wants, I'd say it's time to wish him well. And keep Ramon Castro.

Carlos Delgado looks done to me. His bat's slower and he just doesn't look right. Perhaps we'll learn he was hurt all year or something, but I fear he's simply on the downside of his career.

Luis Castillo: keep him -- or if necessary, re-sign him. He's been a solid pickup, and I'd like to see what he can do in a full season.

Jose Reyes: There's something going on. I don't know what it is, but his mind is not on baseball. He's still an electrifying player. But something went wrong and the Mets need him to be on his game again.

David Wright: More and more, he's become THE star of the team. He obviously remains and I believe he'll improve.

OF: Moises, the Mets have an option for $7.5 million, take it and sign him. Beltran, another quiet but successful season. Milledge: trade him. Get some pitching. His attitude and histrionics are a problem. But he has value. Get some pitching.

Pitching is the problem. Pedro is still worth keeping, Glavine is a big question mark. It's up to him whether he plays, but I think he's only going to be a Met. If he chooses to, then he's worth some amount as a back-end starter. But I think it's time for him to retire. John Maine is still a valuable player, I'm not sure about Oliver Perez, but he's probably ok. El Duque is done. He's unable to sustain himself for a full season. Mike Pelfrey, I just don't know. If he gets packaged in a deal for a front-line pitcher, I'd not complain. Philip Humber, he's got potential and I'd like to see what he can do.

The bullpen, however, is where wholesale changes must occur. Billy Wagner is still the closer. Aaron Heilman I think I'd trade. He wants to be a starter, trade him for a starter or a couple decent middle relievers (or maybe a first baseman). Pedro Feliciano? What happened?! I'd keep him, but my leash isn't long for him. Joe Smith. Who cares? Frankly, at this point. Now that those last outs have occurred, I'm not sure which of them I care about. The 2007 Mets have earned their spot in history -- as the biggest chokers of all time!

Chapter 67.25: Thanks, John!

I'm amazed at how much calmer I feel right now. John Maine pitched the best game of any Mets pitcher all year -- allowing only one hit in 7 and two-thirds innings. He struck out 14 batters and the one hit was a dinker. Had Maine gotten him out, he'd have faced bedlam in the ninth, since no pitcher has ever thrown a no-hitter for the Mets.

As I type, the Nationals and Phillies are playing. The Phils already removed their starting pitcher, who'd allowed half of the batters he faced to get on base. The Nationals should have scored more than they did.

Whether the Phillies lose today remains to be seen, but regardless, the Mets must win tomorrow in order to have any chance to make the playoffs. Lets Go Mets!

Chapter 67.2: That Kind of Weekend

So many beers, so little time. Nice piece on Maine beers in the New York Times.

Chapter 67.15: Why We'll Advance to the Playoffs

Ok, I have to remain positive. The Mets haven't been eliminated -- we're not the Braves, after all. I've got a few reasons to list why the Mets will take the National League East division.

* They're 10-5 against this weekend's competition, the Florida Marlins, who looked awful last weekend against a truly miserable Mets team (Whoops, I said I'd be positive.)

* The Phillies are playing the Nationals, who have been quite scrappy in the second half and have started to gel under manager Manny Acta (who was a Mets coach last year -- a little karma thing going, you see?)

* The Mets have Oliver Perez (pictured on right), John Maine, and Tom Glavine going in these final three games. Perez has become a big-game pitcher, one of those guys who seems to do better when there's a lot of pressure on him. This may explain why he was awful in Pittsburgh. Maine's been sketchy at best during the second half, but these are the Marlins. (I know, not a strong argument at all.) And Tom Glavine has been strong most of the year and in what could be his final game ever, he's not going to stink up Shea and earn the wrath of fans who have finally started to warm to him.

* I've already spent nearly $300 on playoff tickets for a game that might not take place, regardless of whether the Mets are in the post-season. (Perhaps this last point is a bit personal, and it may even point to why they won't make the playoffs.)

I'm a frustrated Mets fan, and I know enough of the team's history to realize that this will be an interesting and excruciating weekend. I've not been this nervous since Kenny Rogers was on the mound during the 1999 NLCS.

Chapter 67.1: Jeez, They Suck!

What's going on with the Mets? No, no. I can't watch. Please tell me they'll sweep the next three and the Nationals will take care of the Phillies. Good God! I'm praying that Washington can come through for me!

Chapter 67: The Rest Is Academic

Yes, that title line is supposed to be a joke. I finished the book earlier today, though I have discovered in some skimming that I still have a bunch of smaller tweaks to make still. Tomorrow, after a hearty jog, I'll devote as much of the day as possible to reading it full through. I know there'll be some word changes to make, and I want to make sure my town names remain consistent (aside from Hoboken and New York City, I decided to fictionalize the other towns I mention, though they're based on places I know -- some of the cities have been combined for the sake of convenience.)

Of course, I still don't have an agent, much less a publisher. I'm confident that the right opportunities will arise.

Chapter 66.9: Close to 'The End'

I'm on vacation and taking a break from my novel, which is only about 30 pages away from "re-completion." I anticipate adding some more description in one of the last chapters; I was never pleased with it. But I believe that I'll have it done by dinner time tomorrow -- if not sooner. I've already started letting those few "early readers" know that they will be receiving copies soon. It's not quite like how I felt when I first typed "The End" a couple years ago, but I believe this time the book will be better than it was then. The next entry will acknowledge another goal reached!

Chapter 66.8: Aliens for Richardson

No, I don't mean the aliens that are probably streaming across the New Mexico border, but rather the ones that streak across the sky (maybe that's what was lighting up the sky the other night.)

Yes, even an august publication like the Washington Post is trying to determine the how extraterrestrials will influence the 2008 election. I think this story was supposed to run next April -- as in April first, a day for fools. What the heck is Dana Milbank doing? The article's funny, yes, but does the Post pay him to report on whether Dennis Kucinich is a closet UFOlogist? And Bill Richardson's only chance to get elected to higher office is if ET and his buddies land and get suffrage before November 2008. Oh yeah, and they'd have to spread out across the country, because if they're only in New Mexico, he'd only win that one state -- and even then, he'd probably have a tough time in that swing state. Something tells me Richardson's only help from above is God, not aliens.

I enjoyed the sense of humor displayed by Hillary Clinton's spokesperson, who responded to Milbank's question by saying, "Let me check in with the mother ship." I'm not sure how the senator would take that, however.

If nothing else, we can be thankful that there are spokespeople who aren't afraid to tell a reporter to stuff it. Take this from Kucinich's spokesperson:

"If you have a serious question, just ask me," Kucinich spokeswoman Natalie Laber replied when told of the UFO crowd's hopes for her boss. "If not, then just keep your silly comments to yourself."

For the record, while I'm ok with people trying legally to make a better life for themselves in the United States, I don't think ET should be fast-tracked to get a vote, whether they're Republicans, Democrats, or independents.

Chapter 66.7: Look, Up in the Sky!

I didn't see it, but the other night something bright streaked across the sky above New Mexico. According to SpaceWeather.com, some folks in New Mexico witnessed and filmed the disintegration of what must have been some massive piece of space junk. (Or was it a crashing UFO? How far away from Santa Fe is Roswell? Can the Northern Lights be viewed in New Mexico?) The description of the object being four times brighter than the moon is startling.

It reminded me of the day the spaceshuttle Columbia broke up in the skies above Texas. (Is it really four years ago already!) It was during the weekend, and for some reason I awoke very early needing to use the bathroom. I didn't have my glasses on and was startled by a brief burst of light in the night. Hours later, when I learned of the Columbia's tragic demise, I wondered if I might have inadvertently witnessed the after effects of the destruction, but the timelines don't match. Just a random burst of light, I suppose.

Either way, things like that keep me scanning the starry skies, waiting patiently for something fascinating to occur.

Chapter 66.65: A Different Kind of Monument

Although I love Dublin, it's been more than a decade since I last visited. In my absence, the city has erected a monument on O'Connell Street, which is the main drag of the capital city, and a road I walked almost daily when I went to school at Trinity.

I didn't know about the monument until I read the piece in Slate. But now I have one more reason to return. It sounds very interesting and is essentially nothing at the same time -- like a Beckett play. Has anyone out there seen the Dublin Spire? Please share your thoughts. Cool? Overhyped? Mysterious? Stupid? What say you?

Chapter 66.6: Six Years Later

When I got on the train this morning, I was still groggy, fixated on the rain and humidity, not paying attention to the day. Even after I'd sat down and folded my sports page as per train etiquette, I wasn't thinking about the date. But I overheard a man say "six years" and I remembered.

I was shocked that it had floated past me. It's not as though I've completely forgotten. I assigned pieces related to 9/11 and we have a story that I held for posting till today. Indeed, 9/11 was on my mind a lot over the past weekend. But this Tuesday morning, it wasn't there.

I reflected briefly on how different this Tuesday, September 11 is from the previous Tuesday, September 11 six years ago. That day was beautiful, blue skies and pleasant temperatures. Today is disgusting. Rain and humidity, grey and dismal. A 180 degree difference.

While it is probably different around the country, we still talk about 9/11 a lot in the New York/New Jersey area. It remains a significant point of demarcation: "Was that pre-9/11?" ... "I switched jobs after 9/11" ... "I started working from home after 9/11" ... etc. And pass by a restaurant table and you might hear smatterings of words "North Tower" ... "second plane" ... and you know exactly what is being discussed. For the forseeable future and beyond, it will always be this way. It should be. We move on, but we never forget.

Chapter 66.4: Cracks in the Facade

It has begun. The conservatives and Republicans are starting to part from each other. What surprises me is that the Republicans in this story are becoming Democrats. Perhaps I shouldn't be surprised. While I think a third party may eventually emerge in American politics, it will only happen if there's a realistic chance for a candidate for president to take electoral votes -- i.e. to win a state. It's been a long time since that happened (George Wallace in 1968).

That's the main reason I don't think Michael Bloomberg will run; while he might be able to inject some interesting debate in the race, I don't think he can be a big enough spoiler to push the race into the House of Representatives.

But now we are seeing Republicans becoming Democrats in states where they have little support -- Missouri and Kansas. What does all this have to do with the 2008 presidential election? Probably nothing. But I think it will make the congressional races more interesting -- both in 2008 and 2010. And if we start to see more independents in Congress, then we might start seeing some interesting political highlights. Who knows, maybe C-SPAN would create a highlights show a la ESPN. Now that may be a sure sign of a coming apocalypse.

Chapter 66.3: 30 Years of Voyager

I've been a self-proclaimed "spaceophile" for many years, though my interest was rekindled in the mid 1990s by the film Apollo 13 and gained root with From the Earth to the Moon on HBO.

I like to call July 20 Moon Day, because it is the date on which we first set foot there. Less well known, however, are the adventures of the Voyager probes. And now we are celebrating thirty years since their launch. Today is the thirtieth anniversary of Voyager 2's launch, and its sister ship, Voyager 1, was launched just a couple weeks before that on August 20, 1977.

Both are now past the heliosphere, still sending messages and data all these years later. I believe there will be stories to tell about these ships to the generations that have been born since.

Of course, several films have already used the Voyager ships to lead into tales -- the first Star Trek movie and Carl Sagan's Contact to name just a couple -- so I'm not venturing too far afield when I say that, but I believe there's more out there. Whether I tell those tales or not, I don't know, but it's comforting to know that there's knowledge to be gained beyond our solar system. Happy Anniversary, Voyager.

Chapter 66.2: Closing Out the Summer

The tiki torch fuel is nearly spent. The charcoal bag awaits a few more shakes over the barbecue. And I think I'll probably purchase at least one more six pack of Sam Adams Light, which has become my summer beer of choice. Alas, Labor Day weekend is upon us.

Though the skies above are overcast and small drops have fallen upon the pages of a book I'm reading for an upcoming review, I fear no washout. For the gods of forecasting have peered into the future and predicted a beautiful weekend. I look forward to a couple pleasant jogs, an obligatory mowing of the lawn, and assorted other tasks, but most of all I plan to relax.

Relaxation does not come easily to me. I tend to write lists of things I need to do -- lists that cannot be completed within the span of a long weekend much less a 24-hour day. And my vacations (when I take them) invariably are spent at home tackling honey-dos and working on my novel. Indeed, I intend to do exactly that in late September or early October, depending on when I take my allotted week. By then, it will be fall, and I'll be anticipating the winter. When should I shut off the outside faucets? I'll get to the gutters today. Jeez, do the trees conspire to drop these damn leaves over the span of five weeks?

So rather than worry about the fall and winter, I'm going to enjoy this weekend. Perhaps we'll catch one of the many crappy movies that are out right now (I hate when the popcorn is more memorable than the film!) Or simply enjoy the time off. God knows, we deserve it too!

Chapter 66.1: Welcome, Mudslide McBride!

Today has been a good day. Sometime this morning, my niece was born. Her parents, fine upstanding people of Irish descent, have named her Bailey. While I don't know whether it's a refernce to the chocolate cream drink -- the key ingredient in a mudslide (frozen or otherwise), I'm thinking it could be. So, I have taken to calling this young girl, who I've not yet met in the flesh, "Mudslide" McBride. I predict she'll be a high school soccer star, unafraid to slide-tackle a wing on the run, and smart enough to succeed in whatever she chooses to do.

Welcome to the world, little girl. Uncle Matt raises his glass to you. And he's been calling you Mudslide McBride since the day you were born!

Chapter 66: Blondes Have More Jobs

I think this is pretty funny and scary at the same time. Since I'm one of the few people left that still watches local news, I hadn't really noticed this national trend. But to get a perspective on the overwhelming abundance of blonde newscasters -- men and women.

This gentleman has always preferred brunettes, as most of my ex-girlfriends and my wife can attest. Plus, I don't watch the news to find out which station can most arouse me. (Full disclaimer: I'm not related to Victoria Sinclair of the Naked News, at least not as far as I'm aware; I do have relatives in Canada.) But, check out the link and enjoy Slate's slightly tongue-in-plastic-surgery-enhanced-cheek assessment of our national newsreaders.

Chapter 65.9: Death of a Huckleberry

As a Met fan, I was never a huge follower of Phil Rizzuto. I knew him at first as the incredibly annoying and unhelpful announcer for the hated Yankees -- he worked with Frank Messer and Bill White back in the late 70s, when my love of baseball hit full bloom. And I knew his voice from Meatloaf's song, Paradise by the Dashboard Lights. (Remember when it was almost rare to hear that song?!)

But I grew to appreciate that he loved his team -- a team that had offered him a chance when all the others had told him he was too small. Rizzuto repaid their confidence (or was it just a joke at first? 'Let's see what this pip-squeak can do. It might be funny') with his natural abilities -- speed and fielding prowess -- and became an important part of the Yankee dynasty of the 1940s and early '50s, winning the Most Valuable Player Award in 1950, when they defeated the Whiz Kid Philadelphia Phillies in the World Series. I would never like the Yankees, and I wouldn't be a Rizzuto fan, but I could respect him and his loyalty.

I delivered medicines to his mother when I had a job for a local pharmacy in high school, and I wondered if I'd ever see him there. Never happened. But I briefly met Rizzuto once. It's more accurate to say I nodded in his direction and he nodded back. I was attending a wake for a friend's mother about 20 years ago. And Phil Rizzuto was standing at the front of the chairs in the funeral parlor. My friends in line with me whispered "Hey, it's Phil Rizzuto," and I heard the man ask who all these guys were. We were fraternity brothers of his grand-nephew. "Oh, the boys from Lafayette," I heard him say. That's when I nodded, and he nodded back.

Not exactly a moment of greatness or epiphany, but it happened.

So, I'll say a little prayer that God has enough room in his field for the little guy who lived in New Jersey for all those years and told stories about baseball and cannolis and called the guys in the broadcast booth and down on the field "Huckleberries."

Chapter 65.8: Your Spacesuit Or Mine?

I'm a bit of a "spaceophile" and I wish I could explore space. Well, these new space suits should make exploration a lot easier. And it makes space exploration look better too, for when astronauts are shown on television. This is one way to make NASA popular again, though they've still got a fair amount of work ahead of them to regain some level of respect from the American people.

Chapter 65.7: Finally, Some Sense and (Perhaps) Honesty

I know a lot of Democrats (and probably a lot of Republicans) don't want to hear it, but anyone with a whit of sense would see that we have to have a significant presence in Iraq for the forseeable future. Not because of oil, but because we have a moral imperative. I completely agree that President Bush and Vice President Cheney led us into the wrong place at the wrong time, but we're there now and we will have to be there for years hence.

Apparently the major Democratic candidates for president are starting to acknowledge that too, though I hesitate to say they're just realizing it. I think they -- and certainly Sen. Clinton -- have known it for quite a while. Iraq cannot sustain itself if we were to leave. "That's their problem," I hear people say. But, no, it's not. It's ours too. While some Americans seem to wish we could go back to being a 19th century agrarian society in which we could afford to be xenophobic and isolated from other people's problems, that's simply not possible. And though at this point a majority of Americans say the war is going poorly and we should pull our troops out of harm's way, it's simply a bad plan.

Allowing Iraq to struggle for itself makes as much sense as allowing Germany or Japan to fend for itself after World War II. At that point, the concern was Soviet Russia and probably China too (I'm not a student of history, so I don't know if China was jonesing to jump into Japan). We had global concerns then, and we have similar concerns now.

Anyway, back to the 2008 presidential race: The three major Democratic candidates (Clinton, Sen. Obama, and former Sen. Edwards) would all keep some contingent of forces there. Gov. Bill Richardson says "Get out now," but, if memory serves, this is the man who allowed Los Alamos's secrets to walk out the door as Sec. of Energy and then somehow got elected governor of New Mexico. Sen. Biden, the future Sec. of Defense (only because Delaware's governor is a Democrat), says split the country three ways.

Quite clearly, a lot remains to be seen, but I'm just happy to see that the people who might become president recognize that even though the war is unpopular and divisive -- and politically devastating (hello, one-term presidencies!) keeping our troops there is what we have to do until Iraq is stable. We never should have invaded in the first place, but we're stuck in the sand till further notice

Chapter 65.6: Parasolar Power

I saw something today I’ve not seen for ... well, I’m not sure I know how long it's been, exactly. But a woman was walking up Fifth Avenue carrying a parasol. For those who didn’t grow up watching Bugs Bunny cartoons or enjoying films depicting the late 19th century and early 20th century, parasols are like umbrellas but designed to block the sun. (The word literally means "for the sun" in Spanish.)

A co-worker uses what looks like a golf umbrella that’s designed to reflect sunlight away from the umbrella and cool the person beneath. Considering the climate change concerns that are so often in the news these days, I suspect we'll see a lot more of these items. I doubt guys will start cruising for chicks by walking down the sidewalk to tip their bowlers at the pairs of women carrying their parasols as they head to the marketplace, like they did long before my parents were born, but I predict pedestrians of the not-so-distant future will look different than they do today. Different accessories, for example. Perhaps Apple can create an "iPodasol" that would allow users to listen to their favorite songs while exercising and keeping out of the sun. They should design it so solar power can keep the device charged throughout the day.

Chapter 65.4: Google.org Study and Where Our Goodwill Goes

There's an interesting report that all Americans should check out. The Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University, which is one of the best known groups of researchers on the American nonprofit sector, has released results of a study of where Americans give their money. These are the people who process the data in the annual Giving USA study, which presents the estimated amount of charitable giving by U.S. citizens, based on tax filings and statistical modeling.

(I have my own misgivings about the Giving USA estimates, which can turn out to be highly inaccurate. This past June the latest estimate was released, with the number reaching $295 billion in U.S. giving. Since the previous reported estimate had been $250 billion, this seemed quite a large jump. But the previous year's estimate had been revised in the fall -- to $289 billion. There are justifiable reasons, but it's still quite frustrating if you try to use these numbers, which are -- for better or worse -- the best that we have.)

Anyway, back to the point. Out of that $250 billion estimate that was reported for 2005, the amount that directly went to help the needy was only $19 billion. Any grammar school math student can see that it's not even 10 percent, which is deplorable. It's important to note that word "directly," however. The biggest chunk of money given by Americans goes to religious causes; that's been true for the half century or so that this study has been conducted. While a lot of that money goes to run various religious efforts (read: pay for salaries, pay for insurance, pay for phones and facility maintenance), a lot also funds programs and services designed to help the needy. Depending on how the Salvation Army is categorized, for example (I believe it's religion, but I'm not sure; it might depend on how the gift appears in the tax data), a few billion might be directly helping to feed and house the poor. And there are several thousands of organizations that might also fall into those types of descriptions that need to be looked at. Frankly, I find it hard to believe the amount of charity that goes to the most in need is less than 25 percent. It's sobering, nonetheless.

Of course, I'm glad people support the arts, and education, and the environment -- I do, too -- but I will start rethinking my charitable giving a bit now as a result of this study.

According to researcher Melissa Brown of the Center on Philanthropy, who posted on the Google.org Blog about the study she worked on, this is a first step.

As someone who takes a professional interest in the American nonprofit sector, I'm glad to see this important work is being done. And I look forward to seeing them to more to work through this data. I think the Center is an appropriate place for it, but I also agree with Patrick Rooney, the research VP, who called the data "much squishier than we prefer."

Ok, flabberdata, it's time to Pump ... you ... Up. Let's take a look at how we can help our fellow man in need. There but for the grace of God....