Chris Magazine

A white conservative christian on the Supreme Court...unheard of. I'm still in shock...so much so that I don't even feel like talking about the Rove issue anymore. Damn. The white house beat me again.

I'd like to say welcome back to the NHL and also don't believe the hype. Everyone is declaring the owners winners, they're not. The players didn't win either.(but they also didn't really lose much either--I'll explain in a minute) However, despite neither side winning the only clear losers in this were the sport of hockey and the fans. Good luck getting back to the level of popularity you had before you left. Start kissing our asses.
Now, for the players. Before the lockout the average salary was $1.8 million dollars. Well out of line for the popularity of the sport. After the owners got what they wanted, a salary cap and rollback of 24% of current salaries the players will average (based on a cap of $39 million dollars--and 23 players per roster)ta-da $1.695 million dollars. Basically what's happened is a redistrbution of wealth. No more players making $10 million dollars a year and the lowers paid players got a three hundred thousand dollar a year raise or so. Not only that since their cap figures are based on revenues, the amount the players can make could rise...if they put a good enough product on the ice.

So, as I said...shut up...play hard...don't complain when the refs call the rules right...smile for the cameras...get on tv as much as you car for free if you have to and start kissing butts.

Bush is a liar. It's become more and more clear (I would hope) that these Republicans that rose to power on a wave or Christian values and morality are simply politicians. They lie, slander, cheat, maneuver, kill, destroy, manipulate and do whatever it takes to maintain their power. Their "strongly held views" are only held so long as they are prudent and their belief systems are finally tuned depending on who they are talking to. In the end, it has to do with consolidating power and thereby consolidating the money. It's all about the money. Bush is a liar.

I'm sure those on the other side already knew this, I'm hoping that those that stood with the President are starting to get the message. Another example, if it helps...the culture of life he spoke so much about during the whole Schiavo incident. If he believed in life being so sacred then a war would be abhorrent. It's not, not because he needs to defend the country, but because it's politically expedient for him. He believes only in the convenient culture of life. He's a liar and a politician, but I repeat myself.

So we were walking by my neighbor's house...they had just sprayed chemicals that kill everything in the lawn so it was a sea of brown and I mentioned how it was actually a fine example of Post-Roman Carthage gardening....everyone looked at me like I was either a moron or had suggested that had pol pot had a garden, this is what it would have looked like. I started to explain what I meant, but eventually gave up and just said nevermind. I figure if I had to explain it was either too clever or simply nonsensical.

Hard as I might try, not much funny about the bombings in London this morning. I did find it interesting to watch their reaction. They reacted much like a country that had experience with terrorist acts. Meanwhile, we raised our terror level and either panicked or ignored the whole thing completely. Our stocks rose today. Apparently a good bombing abroad is a godsend for investors for some reason. Not really making commentary there...just wondering why?

I understand Live 8 was great at times, but MTV's coverage sucked. Too few performances and often when they went to a performance, they cut it off before it was over...they did it with the Killers, the Who and a 20-years since they played Pink Floyd. It was more of a "we're covering the event and not the concert". I seriously heard more about who was playing than I actually did see those people play. It just annoyed the crap out of me.

That said, I hope it works. I hope people get more involved, but as a cynic I'm skeptical. My one biggest fear is that it works too well, people will get involved and then won't get informed. What a representative democracy doesn't need is a highly active, ill-informed electorate (hello far right--we only vote one issue---conservatives). Get out, get involved, but for the love of god...learn something about what you're getting involved with first.

Just like Def Poetry, but without the flow
or Mos Def hosting...

my heart sits heavy tonight
I know not why
separation perhaps
trouble ahead
maybe it's my own thoughts
that betray me into this dark well
I have no means out
the walls seem too slick to climb
too high to jump
and the light at the top
is merely a dim,
distant star
whose light
comes from a time
long ago