Working Poor

When I worked as document reviewer/temporary attorney I was always surrounded by hip young attorney's. At one point I pulled out my cassette Walkman and my coworkers nearly fell on the floor laughing. These were guys with the latest MP3 players and Blackberries so my old Panasonic technology made me look like a club wielding caveman. Not so at the new job, with government workers being as poor as they are no one looks at me cross for having museum worthy audio equipment. I look around at the office and people have radio cassette players on their desks. Some listen to disc players with enormous headphones and the one person with an MP3 player is the head attorney and his unit is a cheap ass model made by Coby that you could probably get at a bargain bin at Target or Toys R Us. I feel right at home, no need to keep up with the Joneses. The other day I had a conversation with someone about LP's, but not because I was talking to some pretentious Williamsburg hipster, but simply because we both never had enough faith or money to make the complete format switch.

Daytona 500

When I was a kid watching stock car races all of the drivers looked like regular guys. They were paunchy, losing their hair, some older, some fat. Funny thing happened when NASCAR became big in the last 10 years. Suddenly all of the Richard Petty's and Cale Yarborough's were replaced by young drivers with matinee idol looks. The second big money comes into contact with something that is televised the look changes. Big money can't afford regular guys driving the cars, now we need Dale Jarred, Jeff Gordon and Dale Earnhradt Jr. to sell T-shirts, mugs and posters. Nothing new here I guess. Same thing happened to wrestling and music. Budweiser physiques of King Kong Bundy and Meatloaf gave way to pretty boy video stars and steroid abusers.

Working Poor

Thing is, the file room with peoples important documents and social security numbers is open and accesible but it's the bathrooom that has a combination lock! Actually, everything is under lock and key. If I want a pencil I have to requisition it. I thought I understood, one look around me and I see why employee theft is a concern. But the other day a new realization came over me. Another department was renovating their offices in the building. The construction crews were taking out the old furniture and furnishings to the curb. Before the garbage men could haul away the old chairs, broken lamps and stained coffee tables the city employess attacked the trash like a pack of hyenas with a fresh wildebeast kill. Suddenly it became clear to me, why all of the neighboring restaraunts were cheap and crappy, why my co workers knew all the sale days at Costco, why coupons could be found on everyones desk. They are all poor. It's true, say all you want about benefits and job security, and that's all nice but these people get paid shit. What good is all of that if you have to rummage through garbage at the end of the day?

Doing Right Ain't Got No End

I had this dream the other night. I was watching a pair of Bald Eagles hunting. Turns out they were hunting the red shouldered hawk I saw recently in the back yard. The hawk then landed next to me for protection and didn't go away until it was all clear. He also brushed me with his wing as if he was saying "thank you brother" for the help.

Maybe it's not the same thing but the other day I was leaving work when this scraggly looking thing came up to me and asked to buy a cigarette off of me. As I gave her the butt she took it with a shaking hand and said "Thanks a lot mister, it's the first cigarette I've had today, I just got out of jail". That seemed about right, she looked the part and my job is near the courts. I gave her the cigarette and told her "Well, in that case, then this one is one me. Enjoy".

Passings

Of all the people that died in 2007 it is Richard Jewell I feel the most for. Here was a man basically killed by the government for no reason whatsoever. If you recall Richard was the security guard who saved a bunch of lives at the Atlanta Olympic Park bombing. To thank him the FBI leaked that he was a suspect. From then on the mans life was a living hell. I remember watching the national evening news when Dan Rather stated "The investigators found suspicious things in Mr. Jewell's basement like duct tape and nails". Wha? Who the fuck DOESN'T have some tape and nails in his house? I felt bad for the guy from then on. When the Feds and the papers finally cleared him years later the damage had already been done. Richard Jewell died in 2007 at the age of 44.

Who Cares?

A-Rod goes to Mudhens

I think the Yankees best move during the off season was
GETTING rid of that good for nothing A-Rod. Getting him
back ensures only another "almost ran" year. For the
price of one guy who does well in meaningless games but
is a proven chocker when it counts you could have gotten
two first class pitchers or three very good ones.

What I don't understand is why don't they just sit him
down in the playoffs? He sucks, year after year he can't
hack the pressure. Everyone I say this too says "Oh you
can't do that? he's a marquis player." So? If I buy a
wrench at Home Depot and it's great for fixing things
around my house but can't help me to fix my car do I
continue using that tool on the car and risk damaging it
or do I use a better wrench when I doing that specific
task? What's the problem here, you might hurt the $350
million players feelings? It's a business folks, the
only ones stupid enough to care about outcomes are the
fans who pay for the trinkets with the Yankee logo on
them or the even more deluded fans who actually buy over
priced tickets to sit in the South Bronx and swig $8
paper cups of watered down Miller. Fuck all of that
noise, sports, all sports is a waste of time and money.

OK, now let me see who is playing football today. I hope
those loser Jets can find a new even more humiliating
way to lose. Maybe they can snatch another loss from the
jaws of victory this afternoon. Man, if there is one
thing following that team has taught me, sports is for
playing, not watching. Want to waste a couple of
meaningless hours in the comfort of your own home, maybe
with some snacks and friends? By all means do so, just
don't waste one cent or one tear or emotion for players
and teams that could care less if you live or die. As
the gangster in A Bronx Tale correctly surmised "Mickey
Mantle don't care about you". If the Yankees or Jets win
on Sunday doesn't really change the fact that you still
have to go to work on Monday. Mickey Mantle ain't
putting any food on your table. If anything, he's taking
it off!

One more thing, Guinie Joe and the Yankees obvioiusly
didn't want to be on the same team anymore. If Torre
wanted to manage, he would have taken that offer. If the
Yankees wanted him back, they would have made sure he
was happy. As is, both made a huge mistake I think. We
shall see.

Happy Thanksgiving

Indian Chief "Two Eagles" was asked by a white government official,
"You have observed the white man for 90 years. You've seen his wars
and his technological advances. You've seen his progress, and the
damage he's done."

The Chief nodded in agreement.
The official continued, "Considering all these events, in your opinion,
where did the white man go wrong?"

The Chief stared at the government official for over a minute and then
calmly replied. "When white man find land, Indians running it,
no taxes, no debt, plenty buffalo, plenty beaver, clean water.
Women did all the work, Medicine man free. Indian man spend all day
hunting and fishing; all night having sex."

Then the chief leaned back and smiled. "Only white man dumb enough
to think he improve system like that."