Mando.org

I have a lot of different types of loved ones.

Some of them believe in God and some don’t. Some trust the government and some don’t. And while I like to believe that we could all sit down and reason together, some fires are better left unstirred. This is why I don’t like to talk (much) about politics here. But I just can’t let this stand.

I just can’t believe anyone would have the audacity to use a tragedy like 9/11 to try and persuade voters. It’s physically offensive. Just looking at the ad makes me ill.

Now, I understand that I’m probably not the demographic that the Bush campaign was trying to reach with this mailer. My family and I lived 2 miles from Ground Zero on 9/11/01. I remember the fear and anger and grief like it was this morning. I remember the acrid smell and the haze and the foreign silence that followed the towers’ fall.

And I can never, EVER condone the abuse of such an event. Ever.

So, if you were thinking about voting for Pres. Bush, please reconsider. Vote for Kerry. Vote for Badnarik. Heck, vote for Nader. Just don’t vote for someone that would disgrace the memory and honor of those that died on 9/11 just for a couple of votes.

Please.

I would be remiss if I didn’t say a few words about the Red Sox World Series victory.

I’m a Yankees fan through and through. I’ve loved the Yankees for as long as I’ve loved baseball.

It’s not really that hard to be a Yankees fan. They always make it to the postseason, and they always have great people on the team. I mean, really: Derek Jeter, Bernie Williams, Alex Rodriguez are Coopertown-bound without question, and there are several others that are likely on their way, and that’s just off the current line up. These guys play great ball.

Yeah, I know that Steinbrenner buys whoever he wants for the team. But that’s the way the game’s designed. As soon as the player’s union agrees to a salary cap things will change, but for now they’re just doing good business. Hate the game, not the Playah.

But, I can only imagine how hard it is to be a Red Sox fan. 86 years without a championship season is a loooong time. And the continual heartbreak and torture of getting so close, only to lose it all. Now I know why most Bostoners are jerks. Except my friend Christina. Oh, and my old boss Ethan. But the rest of you guys are pretty jerky.

But that’s okay. I get it now. Lifetimes of pain and disappointment must have a lasting impact on a society without question.

So now that you’ve shrugged off the Curse of the Bambino, we can all get along.

Congratulations, Boston.

Oh. My. God.

The Cardinals just had Scott Stapp sing “God Bless America” during the 7th inning stretch.

Those of you that have been blessed by God and don’t know who he is, turn your computer off right now, go kiss your loved ones and never EVER complain that life is unfair. You don’t know the horror of Creed and are God’s chosen indeed.

I am not a fan of Creed. I did, at first, dig them and for that I am eternally embarassed. I thought that there was more to them than met the eye, but like Optimus Prime they transformed themselves from hard rockin’ homies for Christ (see P.O.D. for the real thing) into fancy-pants alterna-dweeb sellouts.

Stapp singing “God Bless America”. It’s almost enough to make a Yankee fan root for the Red Sox.

It’s also Child’s Play time again.

Child’s Play is a charity organization started by the Penny Arcade guys. It’s sole focus is to provide games, toys, movies and books to children’s hospitals around the country. Last year they raised over $250,000 and they hope to do more this year.

As I sit here at my desk and stare at the pictures of my sons, it breaks my heart to think about putting one of them in the hospital. Ugh. I’m getting nauseous just thinking about it.

And I can’t imagine anything that brightens a child’s day more than a video game or movie or toy, especially if they’re sick.

So open up your wallets folks, and buy a couple of toys and make some kids smile.

Well, it’s that time of year again. NaNoWriMo time.

NaNoWriMo, for the uninitiated, is short for National Novel Writing Month. With reckless abandon, literary wannabees attempt to write the Great American Novel(la) in 30 days, starting at 0000 on Nov. 1.

I kinda sorta thought about maybe trying to think about doing this last year, but this year I’m gonna do it.

I swear.

Really.

I’m not kidding.

6 hour Yankee game last night, and game 6 starts in about an hour and a half. At least the Astros game isn’t until tomorrow .

I love this time of year.

The sun’s out and a cool northern breeze is blowing.

The AL championship series start tonight, wherein the Holy and Righteous Yankees of New York will meet and defeat the accursed Red Sox of Boston.

Tomorrow night, the sorrowful and patient Astros of Houston will fight with all the hearts against the seemingly unstoppable St. Louis Cardinals in the NLCS.

The NFL season is in full swing.

The holiday season rapidly approaches, which means that the greatest games of the year are just around the corner.

I love this time of year.

Some miscreants have decided that my comment sections are the perfect place to spam, so I’ve turned on a word filter to capture possible spam comments.

If your comment triggers the filter it’ll be put in the moderation queue. I’ll get notified that a new comment is awaiting moderation, and then I can come back and verify that it is, indeed, not spam.

Of course, if it is spam, then I’ll just delete it and complain to your ISP.

Sorry for the draconian measures, but it’s getting kinda ridiculous.