The headline on Yahoo! News read: “Mass. mom mixed on FCC indecency ruling.” If you hadn’t heard, the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the FCC’s indecency policy on “fleeting expletives” was unconstitutional.

The writer of this article is a journalist (Pam Gaulin) who is also the mother of a 4-year-old child. She writes that she is pleased with the ruling as a journalist, but has mixed feelings as a parent.

What got me riled up about this article were the following two sentences:
I was disturbed at the number of people who were downright angry that parents want to protect their children from offensive language, stating parents should “get over it” and stop “mollycoddling” children because cursing is a part of life.
Cursing is not a regular part of our life and, as a parent, I absolutely want to protect my children. That protection includes inappropriate language on TV.

Party of my annoyance stems from the author’s “must protect the children at all costs” mentality. It is a prevalent thought in modern culture which I believe is doing all children a disservice. Contrary to her belief, swearing *is* a regular part of life. All human languages contain swear words. Research has shown that nearly 1% of all spoken words are swear words; on par with first person plural pronouns (we, us, our). It is a natural reaction to pain, and one study showed that swearing after hurting oneself acted as a pain reliever.

I may disagree with how this woman wants to raise her child, but I can understand her concern with exposing young children to swearing. I’m sure there is nothing more embarrassing for a parent than to have their pre-school child drop an F-bomb in pleasant company. However, it’s up to you to guide your child through life, not a government entity. Do your job as a parent.

The author states that she does monitor her young child’s TV habits very closely, but she has two older (11 & 16) stepchildren that have TVs in their rooms and can what whatever they want. But the author is concerned that the older kids might hear more swearing on TV, due to the ruling, and they may think swearing is acceptable. Again, if you are doing your job as a parent, they should be aware of your position on swearing. If you are that concerned, perhaps they shouldn’t have TVs in their room!

Even after all this 21st century parent whining I was willing to cut the author some slack. That is until I read this:
“[her young son] is not allowed to watch Boomerang. It shows old-school cartoons, and the characters wield guns and use violence to solve problems. The shows I don’t let him watch include ‘Tom and Jerry,’ ‘The Perils of Penelope Pitstop’ or ‘Wacky Races.’ Alex isn’t happy I’ve barred this channel because his father once let him watch, and he likes ‘Scooby-Doo,’ which is on Boomerang”

I wonder what her views are on video games like Grand Theft Auto?

And if that wasn’t enough she closes with the age-old:
“What’s most disappointing about curse words on TV is that the writers, if they tried to be more creative, could write better dialogue.”

Really? You’re going to go with the old “swearing is the lazy writer’s crutch” thing?

I hate to break this to her, but swearing is out there, and it always will be. At some point your child is going to hear it, and is going to say it. How you respond will define how your child views swearing. If it’s your personal moral view that swearing is inappropriate then it’s up to you to instill that in your children. And it’s up to them to embrace or ignore your guidance. What you call “protecting” your child is you doing your child an injustice. Don’t protect them, prepare them.

And quit your fuckin’ whining!

Last year I outlined the platform of my candidacy for the position of President of the United States of America.

Recently the Texas GOP has released their 2010 State Republican Party Platform, which by reports I’m reading is very similar to their 2008 Platform.

In the interests of full disclosure many of you know I am a fiscal conservative and a social liberal. My voting the past few years has tended towards Independent candidates who have aligned closer to my beliefs, but in the grand scheme of donkeys and elephants I tend to vote for more Democrats than Republicans. The reason is that I value social issues higher than economic issues. It’s also helped that the Republican party of the past 30 years has gone off the deep end. Going from a long held position of small government and balanced budgets to two of the largest spending administrations in history (Reagan and Bush 43).

With that being said, I have voted for Republicans who don’t seem to be total wackjobs. In fact many Republicans I know are reasonable people with well thought out positions; but there is a special place in my heart for those on the fringes. And a great example of this is the Texas Republican. No other set of right wingers have that unique mix of belligerence, homophobia, presumptuousness, and weaponry. Let’s compare their platform to mine.

Abortion
Might as well start with a biggie. I support the right of a woman to chose, especially when her health is at risk. In an ideal world there would be no abortions, but they will always exist in this world and we must ensure they are done properly and with compassion.
The TX GOP has a slightly different view. They have an entire section of their platform titled “Protecting Innocent Human Life” which has a very pure solemn ring to it; but how does one define life? Well I’m glad you asked, “All innocent human life must be respected and safeguarded from fertilization to natural death; therefore, the unborn child has a fundamental individual right to life which cannot be infringed.” Along those lines they would like to see an amendment to the US Constitution to have the 14th Amendment apply to unborn children. Funny how the TX GOP values a single fertilized cell more than a gay adult, but we’ll get to that later. Basically the TX GOP wants to make sure as few abortions occur as possible. I’m surprised they don’t go so far as to outright say all abortions should be banned, but I’m not sure what else would be the goal of “We are resolute regarding the reversal of Roe v. Wade.” Let’s just say we differ slightly on this topic… for example I’m not in favor the state providing the option of a “Choose Life” license plate.

Afghanistan-Iraq-Iran-War on Terror
Surprisingly our positions on this topic are not all that far apart. Aside from the reasons we are involved in these messes, we both agree that the US needs to see it through, and that Iran should not be allowed to have nuclear weapons. However, I would look to close the prison in Gitmo (by actually putting all detainees on trial) while it seems the TX GOP is fine with the status quo in Cuba.

Cuba
Speaking of Cuba, I support engaging Cuba to incent them to make reforms and to lay the groundwork for post-Castro Cuba. The TX GOP simply states: “We support the continuation of the embargo against Cuba until democracy is restored.” Surprisingly they support all Cuban refugees emigrating to the US.

Economy
While we may quibble on some of the details of the economy (I’m not so sold on incentives to have people give more money to faith based charities) overall we agree that spending should be lowered, the budget should be balanced, and Social Security should not be used to fund anything besides Social Security.

Education
This topic is somewhat mixed. I agree that we need to invest in schools, No Child Left Behind has not worked, the need to have competent teachers, and use corporal punishment. But after that we start to diverge. I like the idea of teaching the principles of MLK and that we should recognize and celebrate the contributions of all regardless of color and endorse a collective American identity… but they also state that MLK was a Republican. It’s pretty obvious that MLK didn’t subscribe to either political party and for one or the other to co-opt his name for political gain is shameful. Beyond that the TX GOP is really in favor student sponsored prayer in schools and getting parental consent before going near any topic like sex, drugs, and rock ‘n’ roll. Lastly they also want Intelligent Design taught in schools. How about you let educators decide how/what to teach and keep your personal beliefs out of it? If you want your children to consider Intelligent Design you are more than welcome to teach them about it at home… how’s that?

Energy
The TX GOP is pretty brief on this one, but even since the disaster in the Gulf they support “an immediate end to the deep water drilling moratorium in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico”… yeah, good luck with that position if the oil spill in the Gulf drifts west instead of east. I believe that the government needs to take a more active position in forcing the US to start considering alternate energies. Of course there’s no money in electric cars right now, but without a mandate we’ll wait until the market forces our hands (a true oil crisis) instead of getting out in front of it. Government should use gentle steering and let the economic engine do all the work.

Environment
Not surprisingly the TX GOP is mostly concerned with property rights, water rights, and mineral rights. Not much to say otherwise.

Free trade
On one hand they support free trade with Columbia, but on the other hand they rant about pulling out of all free trade agreements. ???

Guns
We couldn’t disagree more on this topic. I support registration of all firearms, they reject any monitoring of gun ownership. I would repeal conceal and carry, they oppose “gun free zones”. Of course they also support the establishment of a “volunteer Constitutional State Militia.” I have no idea what that means, but I don’t like the sounds of it. Ask folks in Michigan how that works for them.

Health care
The TX GOP of course rejects “Obamacare” out of hand, without any specifics. They do support more transparency and choice for consumers… so they aren’t totally nuts on this topic.

Homeland security
We more or less agree that security is of the utmost importance. There aren’t specifics on how to make this happen. They spent 87 words on Homeland Security, but 205 on the right to bear arms and 1162 on abortion.

Immigration
My more conservative colors will show here as I fully support the securing of our borders and ports. I support stopping the flow of immigrants, drugs, and guns (going from US to Mexico) across our southern border. There will be significant economic impacts to securing the border, but the impacts of current state justify that option in my opinion. As for immigration as a larger issue, I again agree with the TX GOP in their quoting of Teddy Roosevelt:
America is a country of immigrants, we should insist that any immigrant who comes here in good faith becomes an American and assimilates himself/herself to the United States. He/she shall be treated on an exact equality with everyone else. This is predicated upon the fact that the person is in every facet an American, and nothing but an American. There can be no divided allegiance. Anyone who says he is an American, but something else also, isn’t American at all. We have room but for one flag, the American Flag. We have room for but one language here and that is the English language. We have room for but one sole loyalty and that is loyalty to the American people.
(Teddy Roosevelt, 1907)

Social Security
Another topic I more or less agree with the TX GOP on. While it cannot happen overnight I support the phase out of Social Security and prevention of government of using the existing money to fund other items.

Stem cell research
Pretty standard boilerplate stuff from the TX GOP on this, and I agree with some of it; such as not creating embryos for the sole purpose of research… I’m a little queasy on that. But there is one line in their statement I have to share: “We encourage the adoption of existing embryos.”
Wha?? I suppose is they believe that life starts at conception that means you can adopt an embryo. In my humble opinion the embryo belongs who whomever it came from, and it’s up to them on what to do with it… put it up for adoption (??? that just sounds so absurd but I’ll go with it), have it destroyed, or donate to research. What is it about the combination of egg and sperm that gets the TX GOP so worked up?

Taxes
The TX GOP is hardcore on Taxes: “We recommend a national sales tax (which does not include a Value Added Tax) to replace all other Federal taxes once the I.R.S. is abolished and the Sixteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution is repealed.”
I’m no expert on taxation, but I do know that some level of taxes are needed and I don’t know if an income tax (revised to get rid of the current confusing system) or a national sales tax is that answer, but if we go with a national sales tax can we mandate that all pricing must include the tax? I hate buying something for 99 cents and then going to the register and having to pay $1.06 for it.

LGBT issues
I saved the “best” one for last. I put best in quotation marks because this is where the GOP across the country loses me completely (as if their harsh stance on abortion wasn’t enough) and shows their homophobic and hateful colors.
As my own platform states, I am not in favor of gay “marriage”, I’m in favor of government getting out of the marriage business altogether. Marriages are the business of the Church, not government, and the Church can marry whomever they want. For legal purposes the government should recognize the Civil Union of two people; and I don’t care if they are two men, two women, or a woman and a man (or a transgendered person of any type). I support adoption of children by gay couples; I support gays in the military. Essentially I don’t see any valid reason to limit the rights of anyone based on their sexual preference. As long as you are a consenting adult, have fun! However, the TX GOP feels a little differently on this one.
As I run down their “STRENGTHENING FAMILIES, PROTECTING LIFE AND PROMOTING HEALTH” section here are my reactions…
There is no assault on marriage by judicial activists (and by the way, funny how if a judge changes a law to something a homophobe agrees with it’s not judicial activism). And can someone explain to me why the government should define marriage as between a “natural man and a natural woman”? I suppose the word ‘natural’ is in there to cover the transgendered. But why is this a problem? Here’s why; found under the heading “Homosexuality”:
“We believe that the practice of homosexuality tears at the fabric of society, contributes to the breakdown of the family unit, and leads to the spread of dangerous, communicable diseases. Homosexual behavior is contrary to the fundamental, unchanging truths that have been ordained by God, recognized by our country’s founders, and shared by the majority of Texans.”
Ok, but *why* do they believe that homosexuality tears at the fabric of society? Because they believe the homosexuals are deviants who prey on children, spread disease, and just plain make them feel uncomfortable. How narrow minded these horrible little people are. Their fear and insecurities do not give them the right to persecute those who are different. They are reminiscent of the Nazis. And to have the gall to hide behind their Christian religion is appalling. What would Jesus think of them? He would forgive them for they know not what they do; but He would not agree with them.
As if that isn’t enough…
“Marriage Licenses – We support legislation that would make it a felony to issue a marriage license to a same-sex couple and for any civil official to perform a marriage ceremony for such.”
That’s right; if you were to marry two people of the same sex you would have committed a crime punishable by death or imprisonment in excess of one year. You could lose your right to vote, own a gun (although I suppose the TX GOP would be ok without you owning a gun in this case), or run for public office.
The TX GOP also wants to get rid of all pornography and make sodomy a crime. … … Ok, it’s one thing to go after the gays… but making sodomy a crime is just ludicrous!
I beseech the Republican Party… please kick out the hateful religious wackjob bigots! This dictatorship of morality is no different than the radical Islamic mullahs who keep parts of the world under authoritarian regimes.

Now more than ever is why we need an alternate party who believes in smaller less intrusive government, but one that isn’t run by fear and hate. In closing I leave the Republican Party of Texas with this…

One of our executives has asked me to do some work which is keeping me busy as of late. I’ve been asked to do an application assessment to identify where we have duplicative systems in our environment that satisfy the same business capability but in different segements.

Essentially this work is a rehash of work that others have done months, if not years, ago; or are in process of doing. The main difference in what I’m doing is that I’m starting from scratch, and I’m not going very deep.

Everyone knows what the big duplicative systems are, and there are efforts underway to address them. Same for the smaller applications. Some of the other small ones have proven to have valid reasons for being separate even if they appear on the surface to be duplicative.

This is a total waste of my time/talents and it’s being done to satisfy the whims of exectives.

I’m living a Dilbert comic strip…

I was all ready to write a long scathing post about how much I hate the NBA after the Timberwolves yet again failed to improve their fate in the famed NBA Draft Lottery.

But after thinking about it, and realizing that I’ve hated the NBA for more than a decade now, this one time out of the thirteen where the Wolves have gotten the shaft isn’t worth getting worked up about. So instead, check out this article by the Strib’s Michael Rand.

Enjoy.

Courtesy of FailBlog.org:

When exactly did the word “full-blown” become part of our official vernacular?

I think the first time I saw “full-blown” in print was in reference to someone having “full-blown AIDS”. Since that time the word has shown up more and more: full-blown diabetes, full-blown hostilities, full-blown , etc.

Maybe it’s a perfectly cromulent word, but it seems awkward to me. Not to mention quite redundant. Is having AIDS different from full-blown AIDS? I feel pretty certain that full-blown isn’t a medical term. From usage I gather that its use is to differentiate between pre-something and the actual something. Someone can be pre-diabetic, but then end up with full-blown diabetes.

Maybe it’s because I don’t come from the Dickensian world, in that I focus on the economy of words, but it seems that full-blown is a nothing word that brings nothing to the party. Which means it fits in perfectly with today’s media/world.

I was lucky enough to attend the very first regular season game at Target Field, as well as two other games during the week. I sat in 3 very different parts of the stadium and spent a lot of time walking around. While there have been a ton of posts on the internet regarding Target Field, I still have the audacity to think that my thoughts are valuable.

Let’s start at the beginning… getting there. I’m generally coming from the western suburbs. I’m also a big fan of driving. I’ve not taken the bus from the Park and Ride at 394/Hopkins Crossroad, but have friends who have. The buses have been packed, but overall the experience has been ok for them. My issue is that the round trip per person for the park and ride is $5.25. Each game I’ve gone to has included 3 or more additional people. Do the math. If you live south of the stadium you could try the light rail, but much like Vikings games expect crowded cars and long lines (especially after the game). My advice is just like you may have read online. Come early, stay late, and park several blocks from the stadium. You’ll play $10-$15 and you’ll need to walk, but I personally would rather spend my time walking instead of sitting in my car idling while waiting to get out of one of the ABC ramps. I haven’t even considered the street parking in Northeast. Mostly because I don’t frequent that area, but I’ve heard there are some good bars and restaurants in that area. So again, if you don’t mind extra walking, that’s one more option to consider.

Next is pre-game. If you park on the downtown side of the stadium you have a myriad of options before games. One option I was really excited about was Hubert’s moving into the former NBA City space at Target Center. The issue is that the former NBA City was like a bunker built into the north side (read: no sun) of Target Center. It appears that Hubert’s simply moved into the space. On opening day they had no outdoor seating (at the weekend games they did have a few outdoor tables) and they also made no appreciable change to the interior of the bar (it still has the pop-a-shot game in the corner). While Hubert’s is the bar with the best access to Target Field, it has zero ambiance. A better suggestion would be to check out the alley at Smalley’s 87 Club (in the former Champps space on 1st Ave.) There’s also the new Kieran’s with a nice outdoor patio on the corner of 1st and 6th. A location just as good as Hubert’s, but with actual ambiance.

There is also the option of enjoying Target Plaza. The plaza is beautiful. It has bronze statues of former Twins players, it has a giant bronze glove you can pose for pictures in, it has artwork, it has a view into the stadium… but, my first impression was: “it’s kinda small”. The “plaza” at the Metrodome was a section of Chicago Ave (aka Kirby Puckett Pl.) that was blocked off and had concessions and music. It was expansive… maybe too expansive for some of the crowds that came to the dome because it seemed empty before most games. But Target Plaza is the primary gathering spot and entrance into Target Field; they could/should have made it a little wider. There still are concessions on the plaza, but they are at ballpark prices. My advice is to pre-game at a local bar, and head past the plaza and into the stadium when the gates open. Spend your time inside the ballpark, not on the plaza.

Speaking of getting inside… there are five gates at Target Field, and unlike the Metrodome you are welcome to enter any gate regardless of where your seat is. Each Gate has the number for a former Twins great. There is really no rhyme or reason to the numbering. Although, it is in ascending order if you start in center field and go counter-clockwise (3, 6, 14, 29, 34). At any rate, I would recommend avoiding Gate 3 and 6 (center and left field). The light rail line is located there and these gates are quite busy. One exception to that would be just around the corner from Gate 6 (on the west side of the field) there is a small gate that is technically part of Gate 6, but faces the garbage burner (yes, garbage burner, not especially attractive) and is underused. Gate 34 is the main gate off of Target Plaza. While it’s the busiest of the gates, if it’s your first trip to Target Field it may worth going in that way as the view of the field when you walk in is unparalleled. Gate 29 is just south of the Plaza, near the ticket windows. It’s also busy, but a little less than 34. My recommendation is to take the walk down 7th Street to Gate 14 behind home plate. And if that gate is busy (unlikely) keep going around the corner and out to Gate 6.

Ok, now you are inside Target Field. You’ve gotten in a little over an hour before the game, so take a slow walk around the main concourse. Nice, huh? Now it’s time to find your seat. I’ve walked nearly the entire stadium and while it sounds cliché, there truly isn’t a bad seat in the house. Upper deck views are spectacular and much closer to the field than the upper deck in the Metrodome. It’s a perfectly good idea to buy the cheapest ticket you can find and just wander during the game. Belly up at the railing in left, or center, or right. But even the cheapest seat will provide you a great view of the game.

On opening day I sat in the left field corner (Section 126, Row 2, Seat 3). Down there you are essentially sitting at field level and are in a perfect spot to be seen on TV with any ball down the left field line. Sitting in the first row in those sections would be even better as they have a row and a half worth of leg room, although I had no leg room concerns in any of my seats at Target Field. The seats were in the sun for a day game, which was fine on an early April day, but may not be so much fun in July. On other thing I’ll mention is that when late in the game they turned on the lights above the video screen in left field, the left side of that light bank seemed to shine directly down on us. So late in the game when looking up at the screen you had to squint to keep from being blinded by those lights. Something that would concern me during a night game for sure.

At my third game we were lucky enough to get tickets from a friend in the Royals organization who gave us seats behind home plate (Section 116, Row 22, Seat 1). For free seats you couldn’t ask for much better, however if you are buying your own tickets I might think twice about this section. First, since you are behind home plate you have the screen in front of you. A section or two to the left would still be great seats and would eliminate the screen. Next, there are TVs mounted all along the concourse to show the game and replays to those walking around. These TVs are mounted right above row 20 or so… which means in row 22 you are looking almost straight up to see these. If you are going to be back in row 20+, you might was well make it row 24 or higher to enjoy the benefit of those seats. Lastly, along with the TVs there are speakers mounted as well, which means in rows 18-24 you are the closest to those speakers, and they can be a little loud after 9 innings. Again, these are things you can live with when the tickets are free, but if you have a choice in this area of the ballpark keep them in mind.

My second game was quite possibly the best game I attended. Partially because it was the first night game, but mostly because it was in the Delta 360 Legends Club. I sat in Section M, Row 12, Seat 19. It was the last row and on the aisle. After experiencing two other games in good seats I’m pretty sure that first row of any section in the Legends Club would be the best seat in the house. Not only do you have great views, but private concessions, lounges, bars, and restrooms. In addition there are places to sit up against the glass that separates the regular seating and the concourse; plus more seating in the concourse where you can sit and enjoy a drink or the food.

Speaking of food and drink, now that you are at the ballpark and in your seat, you need a beer and a brat. But there are far more options available. I haven’t tried everything, believe it or not, but here are my thoughts on some of the options available.

Murray’s Steak Sandwich – as with most red meat items at a ballpark you aren’t going to find any beef that isn’t essentially well done. My steak was well overcooked, but still tasty and not too chewy. My big complaint with the sandwich was that the cheese wasn’t melted at all. If you overcook the steak one would think there would be sufficient heat to melt the cheese. One would be wrong. The saving grace of the sandwich is the fantastic ciabatta roll from Franklin Street Bakery. I’d be willing to just eat the bun. There is also a single small slice of garlic toast. Some have found it too salty, but I loved it; I was just disappointed to find only one small slice.

Vincent Burger – a fancy juicy lucy filled with braised short rib and gouda cheese. Again the burger was over done (not looking for medium rare here, but medium well instead of well done would be nice), but the filling more than made up for that. I’d be happy with a bowl of the short rib and gouda. Also, it’s worth noting that Target Field serves a more modest Juicy Lucy, which I haven’t had… yet.

Tony O’s Cuban Sandwich – was very good but had the same problem as the steak sandwich in that the cheese was not melted nearly enough. But the flavor is good.

Chicken Fingers – were excellent as were the fries served with them

Cheese Curds – if you are looking for deep fried goodness, skip the chicken fingers and go right for the curds, served in an adorable paper canoe courtesy of our friends at Leinenkugel Brewery.

Wild Rice Soup – a Minnesota delicacy, and done right with Lunds/Byerly’s providing their delicious version of this soup.

Kramarczuk’s – an excellent Eastern European deli just across the river on Hennepin Avenue, Kramarczuk’s is east to find (and not easy to say). Just look for the huge lines and plumes of smoke rising from the concourse. Aggressively priced at $6.50 for their bratwurst and polish sausage to compete with the Schweigert hot dogs (which I haven’t tried). The sausages are good, but not great. The main issue I had was that the onions and sauerkraut were overcooked and burnt/dry. Worth the money, but not the line. If you must have, check out their second location in the upper deck. During my walkabout I found much shorter lines upstairs.

Root Beer – the Killebrew Root Beer was just ok. I was disappointed that it was made with HFCS. However the Town Ball Tavern makes a giant root beer float (in a big liter glass) that looks fantastic. Might be worth the HFCS.

Gelato – the gelato was excellent and far better than the ice cream (note: I haven’t tried the ice cream but I’ve heard it is nothing to write home about). My recommendation is get the two scoop version. They use the same cup for two or three scoops and after putting in two there isn’t much room left for a third, and consequently you won’t get much of your third flavor.

Legend’s Club Buffet – Chelle decided to try the buffet when we had tickets in the Legend’s Club. It was $19.99, but has carved beef tenderloin, walleye, pasta salads, pizzas, soups, and many more choices. The caveat is that it is a one-pass-thru buffet. But since Chelle used to wait tables she had no problem piling enough food on a single plate to fill up four people. If you are at the ballpark, hungry, in the Legend’s club, and looking for something different… do the buffet.

Dessert Cart – also a feature of the Legend’s Club. We didn’t have any of the desserts because we were too full, but they all looked fantastic. Tarts, cakes, pies… a little bit of everything.

Drinks – the beer selection varies quite a bit at the ballpark. Budweiser is quite dominant but you can find some local brews (Summit being the main one you’ll find on tap) and there is a Beer of Twins Territory concession stand conveniently located next to Kramarczuk’s that’ll give you even more options. The Legend’s Club, Captain’s Deck, Town Ball Tavern, and Hrbek’s provide cocktails (and I believe wine), but what I was disappointed in was that I found no frosty beverage (margarita/daiquiri) stands anywhere in the stadium.

Ok, you’ve come to the game, ate and drank your fill, watched the Twins win, and now it’s time to go. If you are in a rush, my advice is to leave early. While there aren’t any horrible choke points in the stadium we are still talking about nearly 40,000 people trying to get out of 5 major exits. The good news is that traffic moves pretty quickly and it isn’t a case of being stuck in the Metrodome for 30 minutes after a game waiting patiently to get blown out of the Dome doors.

But why leave? The Town Ball Tavern and Hrbek’s stay open for one hour after each home game. So why not stick around and have a drink or some food and let the place empty out? The Metropolitan Club also stays open, but that’s only available to Season Ticket holders. I have friends who are season ticket holders, so I’ll find my way up there sometime soon and post a follow up.

So overall how does Target Field rate? National and Local reviews have been very positive. I’ve been to a number of baseball parks (see my dated review), and Target Field compares quite favorably with Minute Maid Park in Houston. Very similar layout and feel, minus the retractable roof of course. Both parks straddle the edge of downtown with nothing to see and do on one side, and the entertainment section of downtown on the other. Minute Maid has the hill and flagpole in center, Target has the limestone porch in right field (although I do think that right field at Target Field could have done a bit more in right field, even with the porch it feels a little bland out there). All in all I would give Target Field the edge for being an open air stadium, although you can get frosty drinks in the left field corner of Minute Maid Park. Target Field is also reminiscent of Coors Field. But in all honesty at this point I’d give the nod to Coors Field. Coors wins on having a better view (downtown views and Rocky Mountain views), better sausage options (20+ different cased meat options), better beer, and is not next to a garbage burning plant. But even so, it is a close call… maybe I need to visit Coors Field again to refresh my memory. Who’s up for a road trip?!?

‘Kick-Ass’ star, 19, engaged to 43-year-old was the headline. Now I’m not one to look down my nose at older women scooping up younger men. The double standard of older men and young women has been in place far too long.

But dude… you really could do better. It’s one thing for a young guy to hook up with Demi Moore… but really? She’s more than twice your age, and has a daughter 6 years younger than you.

Just creepy no matter how you look at it.

The other day I asked my manager to forward me some information on a new project that I would be leading. She was unable to send it to me for days because she was in what we affectionately refer to as: Email Jail.

Email Jail defined here is when your email is so full that you can’t even send a message; aka: over your quota. It’s a common problem that isn’t new. When I got my first email account in 1993 it came with a quota.

For better or worse, email is how things get done today. It’s a quick, efficient way to communicate; but on the other hand many of us feel buried in an avalanche of information and messages that we don’t want or need (and I’m not even talking about spam email, that’s another topic all its own). Some people I work with have thousands of emails in their inbox, with several hundred of them never read.

This was never more apparent than recently when I received a message notifying me that a person who I sent an email to with a “read receipt” had deleted it without reading it. I was offended. How could they dismiss me out of hand without even reading my email? But my annoyance turned to disbelief when I saw that the email I had sent them was from 18 months ago.

Really? 18 months? My email sat in your inbox unread for 18 months? My inbox currently holds 167 emails. Having a clean email inbox didn’t happen overnight, but it wasn’t hard to do. Here’s an idea I had in 2007. It’s a start.

Remember, the first step is to remember that you are powerless over email. The second is to get your inbox under control. There is very little you need to save that is over one month old. Use your email’s folder structure and other functionality to sort and track the important emails. Open every email you get; even if only for a quick 10 second glance to get the gist… you know know whether or not it’s important.

Take the time to do these simple steps. It may be painful and time consuming at first, but it’ll be worth it in the long run.

This is a post I had initially written in 2007, but never published. It’s germane to a new post I’m working on, so enjoy!

PUBLIC NOTICE OF EMAIL BANKRUPTCY

Public Notice is hereby given that wadE is declaring Email Bankruptcy. If you are an Email Creditor wishing a reply in full of an Email sent to wadE at his work email address, please be advised that he has filed the proper papers to legally have no obligation to respond to your email hereforeto.

Under and by virtue of the Power of Email Bankruptcy proceedings, wadE has freed himself of the bonds that tie him to his work computer all day long answer emails from various morons and buffoons.

A public auction of wadE’s half written draft replies will occur in the near future. Until such time, do not send any emails to wadE as he is currently under the protection of Email Bankruptcy Law.

That is all.

Seymour B. Butts III Esq.
Attorney At Law
Dewey, Cheatham, and Howe LLC
12 Old Alabama Road
Roswell, Georgia 30076