So this is what daylight looks like! My apologies for the extended time underground – never worked so hard in my life! The last two weeks have been quite difficult and stressful at work, and I have to admit the 16- and 18-hour days and a looming reduction in force was getting me a little paranoid and freaked out. Best not to blog in those kinds of situations – after all, this humble weblog should never become a forum for any litany of ‘oh woe is me’s when there are many people out there a heckuva lot worse off than The Great White Shank.
So after a blowout week of doing nothing but working and 5-hour sleeps I’m like Punxatawney Phil, just a few days early. The only shadow I’m seeing is on my face and I’m looking forward to putting on some real clothes for going out in public.
So what have I missed while I was gone? Ummm…. nothing.
Oh, I see we have a new President. Forgot all about that.
I wonder what all the Bush-haters on the loony liberal left will now do with all their pent-up hatred? They’ll probably have to channel somewhere else – like Rush Limbaugh, perhaps? That’s a battle they won’t be able to win. For one thing, Limbaugh doesn’t care – heck, he relishes in it – and secondly, he won’t change. The reason he’s been so successful and a survivor is the consistency (and, for conservatives, the timelessness) of his message. He’s not necessarily my cup of tea, but I can’t disagree with his general philosophy.
I agree with Ed Morrissey – President Obama is making a mistake picking a fight with Limbaugh. If want to demonize a politician on the other side of the aisle, that’s one thing. But to pick a fight with a private citizen over his politics when he’s simply expressing his freedom to express an opinion demeans the office of the President (something I have a feeling the “office” better get used to) and diminshes the President himself. Mark my words, Barack Obama may be supercock in Chicago politics, but that game doesn’t translate as well outside the Beltway. If if he tries to play that brand of hardball with non-politicos simply because they’re not willing to drink his Kool-aid, he’ll get slaughtered – and not by conservatives.
The country will expect and deserve better. Methinks the Prez ought to worry less about a popular radio talk-show host and get on with the business of turning this economy around. If, that is, that’s important to him. Me I’m not sure. But then again, I haven’t drank the Kool-Aid.
I think people out here are excited about the Phoenix Cardinals going to the Super Bowl. Me, I couldn’t name one other player on their roster besides Kurt Warner. I’ll bet Rob is picking the Steelers…
Did anyone watch the NHL All-Star Game? Was it even on television? I wonder if the average person could even name one professional hockey player? I know I couldn’t…
In the mail: Elvis: Ultimate Gospel. Can’t wait to hear The King rocking sweetly to the Lord.
My friend Jerome checked in earlier today with the following:
“Not much going on here, but I need a joke please … something along the lines of “a duck walks into a bar, orders a drink and says put it on my bill” … It’s just one of THOSE days.”
Hah! That’s a good one, Jerome! You mean, something like, “A horse walks into a bar; bartender looks up and says, ‘Say buddy, why the long face?’ “.
It’s not just been one of those days, it’s been one of those years! Glad it’s almost over – only 339 days left. I can’t wait to turn over a new leaf in 2010.
I’m pulling for the Cards but I lean toward the Steelers to win the game. As a fantasy football player, I know a few of the Card players. Warner, Larry Fitzgerald, Anquan Boldin, Tim Hightower, Steve Breaston, and Edgerrin James are all well known in our world.
I think the Bush hatred will subside now that he’s out of office. Most on the left will start playing defense now while the loonies on the right become more shrill. In the cases of Limbaugh, Coulter, and Malkin, I don’t know how that’s possible. The partisan bickering would make for fun theater if our economy wasn’t teetering on another great depression. Tough times ahead.
Comment by Rob — January 27, 2009 @ 5:26 am
Hi Rob – Thanks for the comment. Maybe we’re just talking degrees of shrillness here but I think the difference between the Bush-haters and those you mention like Coulter, Limbaugh, Malkin, etc. is that the latter constantly rail against liberalism and its alliance with things big government in nature.
The Bush-haters were absolutely irrational in their fears and loathings. You saw the same thing with Sarah Palin – little of what the loony left screeched about had to do with her politics – it was all petty and ugly personal attacks against her and her family.
Of course, this is, and has always been, American politics, and if you can’t take the heat stay away from the kitchen. But you are right, these are times in which the elected leaders of our country ought to be seeking those things we have in common, rather than those that divide us. I just doubt anyone in Washington – Democrat or Republican has that ability or cares enough.
Comment by The Great White Shank — January 27, 2009 @ 5:34 pm
Doug:
I watched the NHL Allstars. It was a good game.
High scoring as usual. Zedeno Charra from the Bruins won the slapshot competition shooting at 105 mph.
Hope Arizona takes the Superbowl.
Cubby.
Comment by Ronald Myerow — January 27, 2009 @ 5:59 pm
Hi Cub! I had a feeling I’d hear from you – after all, if anyone knows hockey it’s my fellow Goodboy Ron “Cubby” Myerow! Thanks for checking in.
Comment by The Great White Shank — January 27, 2009 @ 6:11 pm