And?

Who cares?

Does it even matter anymore?

40 years ago a highly anticipated report was released that was supposed to put to the rest the controversy and questions surrounding the assignation of the President of the United States. 40 years later, no one knows anything. The Warren Commission report was supposed to put to the rest the assassination of JFK. Instead it left it wide open.

Similarly, the Mitchell report will be released today and its purpose is to put to the rest the issue of Steroids within MLB.

Well whoopdee do.

Does anyone even care by now?

People are more curious about the “80 players” that will be named in the report. It’s a curiosity thing more than it is a caring thing.

Alex Rodriguez?

Pudge Rodriguez?

Gary Sheffield?

Roger Clemens?

Randy Johnson?

If those names appear what’s going to happen to the sport of baseball?

Nothing.

Don’t get me wrong. I’m going to be sure to be at my computer at 2pm today when the report drops on the public. I want to see all the names too. But this isn’t like the Black Sox scandal of 1919. This isn’t guys “throwing a game” This isn’t Pete Rose betting on a game he is competing and/or managing. I know, I know, Pete Rose admits to gambling on baseball, admits to gambling on the Reds, but he never gambled against the Reds, or so he says. The integrity of the game has been tarnished, but none of us go to a baseball game and are suspicious the outcome has been “fixed.” We just expect to see a home run every inning.

Big Deal….right?

I’ve said it here before, so I won’t waste anymore of your time except to say this is a glorified book report. The issue of steroids is a bummer to baseball fans, no doubt about it. I don't like it. Bonds is an a-hole, that’s why he gets beat up the most. But he’ll make the Hall of Fame. McGwire? Probably won’t make it. But steroids aren’t a moral issue like the media wants to make it.

What we have is a great Oliver Stone script. Just as Oliver spent 3 hours presenting every freakin nuance of the JFK assassination, he has all the makings of a great 3 hour extravaganza making a mockery of a National Pastime.

Think about what this whole story has. Drugs? Check. Good guys? Check. Bad Guys? Check. A shady gray area between the Good guys and Bad guys? Check. A suspect leader? Check. We have speculation, conspiracy, back door shenanigans, and cover-ups. We have old pictures as possible evidence. We have interviews and taped testimony. We have (unfortunately) death and deceit. We have a massive investigation. We have a hyped media. We have one person who is the sole “patsy” of the witch hunt, and we have a slew of characters that have a shade of suspicion around them. And now we have a book report. A year and a half in the making that the public is waiting with bated breath to view. And all it will do is confirm what we all already knew……

Which is what?

The Last 5....(12.12.07)

I'm Brian A. Maloney and I approve this message.

The Last 5 (the I cannot believe no one left any comments from the last The Last 5 that had all the hilarious You Tube clips)

.... Songs played in shuffle mode on my MP3 Player

• The Doors - L.A. Woman
• The Who - Pinball Wizard
• U2 - Vertigo
• Third Eye Blind - Semi-Charmed Life
• The Wallflowers - One Headlight

.... Blog entries I read

• Agent Zero (I kind of find Gil entertaining)
• Always good to get a player's perspective, especially when it is articulated very well
• Way to go "Florida Quarterback!"
• Just a way to keep up on some of the Big 10 stuff going on.
• Not really a blog, but you can go this website everyday and get new and exciting information.

.... Videos from You Tube

I think you forget how much we actually domintaed the Lakers in Game 5 of the Finals in 2004


these next two are pretty sweet




40 years ago, people were concerned about the "consumerism" of Christmas, and so some people made a cartoon about it.....priceless



So if that is the meaning, watch the movie. This is one of the few movies actually worth your time. Check out the trailer if you haven't seen the movie.

Fantasy Football Playoffs Round 1 Update

I'm Brian A. Maloney and I approve this message.

Nothing serious, I had a bye week, of course my team blew up for over 160 points(Favre, Grant, Lendale, Addai, Jags Defense....no way was I going to play the Pitt D against New England) and I have to play against freaking Tom Brady and the Patriots D for a 3rd time this year.

UGH!!!

Now, I have beaten that team twice already by a combined 13.5 points too. So, I know he can be beat, but it is really hard to beat a team 3 times, especially when they have Tom Brady.

Is there any doubt that Brady will have 5 td passes in the 1st half alone?

None the less, I anticpate a good game from my squad and plan on playing for all the marbles next week.

Anyone going to try and Do the Opposite next year?


Paid for by the committee to get you to Do the Opposite at your next Fantasy Football Draft.

Conservative Christian - A Prologue

UPDATE: This is a prologue to the series of posts I mentioned a couple weeks ago that I have been composing on Christianity and the Conservative movement. I have really been thinking about this whole "Conservative Christian" moniker people like to throw around. And the more I wrote this prologue and wrote the next 3 posts in the series, the more I am finding it harder and harder to see the connection. Why is the prologue and why do the next 3 posts seem so different? Maybe you the reader will see something, but as I wrote the prologue and the subsequent follow-ups, I took a turn somewhere. None the less, know that I am going to publish the whole series (on Mondays) just as I have written them.



There are many conservatives who would like to return to the era of frequent public executions, even hangings. In fact, conservatives are generally united in strong support for the death penalty, a fact the liberal media enjoys equating with the election of George W. Bush as President, since as Governor of Texas, Bush presided over record numbers of executions. It is anecdotally said that Bush faced opposition to the death penalty from his mother, wife and daughters, but never flinched, even in the case of Karla Faye Tucker, an obviously rehabilitated evangelical Christian.

I support the death penalty. People like Ted Bundy and Timothy McVeigh deserved nothing less. As a Christian, I believe it is taught in scripture and I have no doubt that Jesus would have supported it. If I served on a jury, I would express my support for the death penalty without embarrassment.

Having said all that, I am uneasy with the current conservative posture on the death penalty. Not with the position, but with the posture; with our approach to the application of the issue. But it isn’t just the death penalty, it’s a lot of things that our “posture” is a problem within the “Conservative Christian” movement. The death penalty premise is an easier subject to express posture versus position. I know we are talking about human life, but the death penalty isn’t a “sticky” subject. At least I think it isn’t in relative terms to Immigration, Iraq war, Abortion, Homosexual Rights, Healthcare, etc.

Let me be clear about one thing. I do not believe we should question the death penalty as a way of making conservatism or Christianity "kinder" or "compassionate." If someone thinks that conservatism is cruel, they don't understand liberalism, which is tyranny masquerading as compassion. The Biblical admonitions that support capital punishment are presented as a way of properly valuing and respecting the fact that human beings are made in the image of God. It's not presented as a way to torture the guilty, but to remind the rest of us that people aren't like anything else in creation. I don't expect liberals to appreciate that, since they reject the Judeo-Christian worldview and its emphasis on the sacredness of human life. Note how liberals can't see why we oppose abortion yet support capital punishment.

No, my reconsideration is based on two factors: my enthusiastic belief in limited government, and my commitment to the idea of genuine, objective truth. Sad to say, I believe conservative enthusiasm for particular issues is obscuring the importance of these two principles. And we must be a principled movement, or our positions mean nothing.

Let's start with my second objection (what I believe to be the lesser of my thought out arguments, meaning you’ll probably find a lot of holes in this point, oh well): the importance of genuine, objective truth. Conservatives may not entirely agree on the nature of truth or the means for discovering it, but generally, they have refused the postmodern spirit and insisted that judgments, policies and personal choices be evaluated on their coherence to an objective standard of truth. Whether Christians or not, conservatives have said "You shall know the truth, and the truth will set you free."

What does this have to do with the death penalty? Plenty. In making a judgment about guilt and punishment, conservatives need to take into consideration all the truth in a given situation. Frankly, this seems to be quite the opposite of what many conservatives want to do. For example, the truth of mental status applies in the case of Andrea Yates, the Houston mother who drowned her kids. Yes, it did result in dueling expert psychologists explaining her mental state, but we aren't acting on principle if we ignore that aspect of the case, even with the clear outrage of the death of five children. We should say that no punishment is appropriate until we know if this mother was rational, insane or some mixture of the two.

Every couple weeks or months, the news magazines like 20/20 or the big news channels CNN and Fox News run a special report where a convicted murderer was released because DNA evidence proved they could not have committed the crimes for which they were convicted. Conservatives say little about this, and I'd go so far as to say I suspect some are not happy at the development. The fact is, this is the triumph of truth, and conservatives should rejoice. It is liberals and postmodernists who want us to believe that truth is political and imaginary, shaped only by the agenda of the powerful (government and religious entities). As conservatives, we believe truth is a force that brings down tyrants and rights wrongs. We don't believe it is a commodity to be ignored or manipulated.

As the debate continues, it seems there is a fear, not entirely irrational, that we should be swift and quick in the use of capital punishment to insure that the culture of excuses, with all its various prophets of irresponsibility, doesn't turn the entire justice system into the O.J. Simpson trial. I sympathize and largely support that notion, but we will not achieve that end by reducing the "truth factors" considered in a particular case. The Houston mom was eventually ruled to be insane by a reasonable definition, as such she must be dealt with differently than McVeigh, and conservatives should be quick to say it. We should strongly support the distinction between children and adults, and be against the kind of sentencing that sees them as the same, because it is the truth that they are not the same. We should welcome the evidence of science in any form that gets us closer to what really happened. Truth is always our friend and ally.

When we love the truth, we are all more free. And freedom is a core conservative principle. Quick justice and swift punishment are not the legacies of our system of government, but the legacies of lynchings and tyranny. Conservatives may not like judicial activism, the ACLU, the trial lawyers lobby and the like, but let's not forget that the truthful use of the justice system is a precious benefit of our continuing American revolution. On any given day, it may be the only protection any one of us has, and perhaps our only hope of publishing the truth.

So, we go to my other consideration (the one I hold to dearly and is the crux of a lot of my belief), the principle of limited government. And here, I am bitterly disappointed with many of my conservative counterparts. We will applaud the limitation of government on taxes and regulations. We applaud the limitation of government in taking over the private sector. We applaud the limitation of government in forcing the liberal agenda on our families. But can't we see that limited government is important when it comes to the issues of our agenda as well?

Conservatives are attempting to preserve the ideas of the American revolution, particularly the idea that unlimited central government inevitably leads to abuse. It’s actually something I was taught relentlessly while sitting under the tutelage of school administrators. Any study of history will quickly reveal that one of the primary abuses of government in history has been the application of capital punishment. Christian scripture clearly says that government has the power to bear the sword, but that same scripture shows the execution of Jesus by the state as an evil act. The founding fathers of this nation were good candidates for swift execution by the British government. All dictatorial empires have used capital punishment to eliminate opposition and intimidate the public. To listen to some conservatives talk, you'd think that captial punishment, like Christmas, can only do us good. Read Foxe's Book of Martyrs. All those burning Protestants were fried up.........legally.

When we allow the government to execute McVeigh, we should be reluctantly yielding such power. When we see the incarceration of thousands of Americans for crimes like personal drug use or tax evasion, we should be uneasy. It is quite possible that capital punishment is abused by state governments and it is quite appropriate that conservatives be the loudest voices urging caution in the use of the ultimate punishment. Not because it is wrong, but because government is sinful and awkward, usually acting in the interests of the powerful, and not to be trusted completely in any situation. Even when implementing our agenda.

As I see it, conservatives are somewhat seduced by their desire for justice and order. While these values are important, even crucial, they cannot be purchased at the price of making government more powerful. Freedom, not order, is our primary value. Justice must include the possibility that government can be unjust, and frequently finds ways to punish those who are innocent of anything other than deviation from the norm.

So I would prefer that our attitude towards capital punishment be seasoned with a bit less enthusiasm, since we are, after all, giving to government the right to kill us all for whatever reasons it deems acceptable. That makes patriots nervous. So where are the patriots?

I don't expect many conservatives to join me in these reconsiderations, but I think they are important. Conservatives are showing a dangerous tendency to be willing to give up their freedoms to purchase more order in society. If we are reduced to such a choice, all of us will have difficulty choosing, but consider one option. If we empower tyrants with more power and less truth, how will freedom loving people rise up to oppose such a government and restore true justice?

Next I tackle myself.

Everything is Spiritual

"Everything we do we do as an integrated being. 100% physical, 100% spiritual. These first Christians latched onto this right away.

'Whatever you do whether in word or deed do it in the name of Jesus Christ.'

What were they saying?

Every act is a spirtual act. It is, whether or not you are aware of the implications of what you are doing."

This is still one of the best speeches, lectures, sermons whatever you want to call it, I have ever heard.

Cannot wait to get my copy in the mail and pop it in the DVD player.

Well worth the $20 plus S&H.

Here's a morsel.

My Perception 101 - It's All About Him, Me, You

It is with a heavy heart I go back into the annals of My Perception to bring a post written, what now seems to be, a very short 8 months ago.

Many of us know by now of the ghastly events that took place in a Nebraska mall yesterday afternoon. And as the details unfold and the news media outlets search for connections and string together a framework to answer "why?" I still believe the problem is all of us.

And it isn't just mass shootings at malls or from clock towers, it is most of our "problems." We fail to get over ourselves. It just takes something as schocking as a high-school shooting to put the spotlight on something as personal as say a lack of commitment or communication barriers.

Read: - It's All About Him, Me, You

The Last 5....(12.05.07)

I'm Brian A. Maloney and I approve this message.

The Last 5 (the WHAT A MONSTER TRADE by the Detroit Tigers Edition, instant World Series Contenders, if not favorites)

.... Songs played in shuffle mode on my MP3 Players

• Audioslave - Original Fire (you knew it was only a matter of time before that song popped back up)
• The Cure - Just Like Heaven
• Beattles - All You Need is Love
• Stevie Wonder - Signed, Sealed, Delivered, I'm Yours
• U2 - Beautiful Day

.....According to Forbes, Poorest Perforimg Cars of 2007 (good thing my company has the Chrysler contract..yippee)

• Chrysler Sebring
• Dodge Nitro
• Jeep Liberty
• Dodge Caliber
• Dodge Magnum

....Christmas Traditions I wonder if I could give them up (meaning I think I'd never be able too...make sense?), in no particular order

• Snow
• Christmas Lights (white only)
• Shopping for Christmas Gifts
• Christmas Music
• Egg Nog

....You Tube Videos I watched (you are going to want to check all of these out, guaranteed to make you laugh out loud, loudly!!)

Week 13 Fantasy Football

I'm Brian A. Maloney and I approve this message.

Well, I lost 108.3 to 145.6 to finish at 8-5. But, I did win the divison on tie-breakers and the number 1 seed in the playoffs (I am the New England Patriots....ha) and have earned a much needed bye week for next week. Favre hurt, Roy Williams hurt and probably out for the year, LenDale White also hurt with a dislocated finger, and Braylon is nursing a hamstring injury. The Pitt defense will be facing New England in Week 14 as well. So, what a perfect time to not have to worry about anything except my WR depth is hurt now. I do have Patrick Crayton and Anthony Gonzalez, so things aren't too bad.

I do wonder if I could have won this week's game if Favre and Roy hadn't gotten hurt and played less than half the game. Maybe not, but I did lose out on $45 by not winning the most points scored in the whole league. I finished second just 16.1 points behind the leader. That's a bummer, but Fantasy Football thrives on the coulda, woulda, shoulda dilema

I did kind of back into the divison championship, sort of. I started the season 0-2, then got to 1-3. before going 7-2 down the stretch and so taking the divison isn't "backing into it" necessarily. I know the Championship isn't won, but I've done a pretty good job proving that if you can't get your hands on the top 2 or 3 rb in all the land (even though S-Jax and LJ have burned many teams this year) you DO NOT need to draft a RB in the first 3 rounds to have legitmate fantasy football success.

So, there really won't be much of an update for week 14.

My top 3 - Braylon for 30.8, Ryan Grant with 21.8, and the Pitt D with 17 to total 69.6

His top 3 - Romo with 42.9, Mcgahee went for 30.7, and Andre Johnson with 24.2 for a total of 97.8.

Recap. I lost this week, but still won the divison, took the number one seed in the playoffs and all this from a team that drafted no RB until the 4th round (Thomas Jones), started 0-2, and had an average of 133.49 points scored against every week. Matter of fact, only one other team had over 1700 points scored him he finished with 1,770 and I had 1,735 scored against.

I still feel there are some doubters so hopefully I win this whole thing and can prove it.

Paid for by the committee to get you to Do the Opposite at your next Fantasy Football Draft.

Two Words....

Chuck.

Norris.

My Perception - "Lite"

I'm Brian A. Maloney and I approve this message.



You are use to this:

Religion
Global Warming
SCHIP
Healthcare
The Church
State Level Politics

Lately, all you've been getting is this:

Fantasy Football
The Last 5


I know, I know. It has been v-e-r-y boring here at My Perception lately. Fantasy Football and random lists of stuff is all I've done in the last month or so.

"Brian, you didn't even give us a Happy Thanksgiving!"

August, September and October were like gang busters for me. Something to say or type almost everyday. I produced a total of 59 posts those months. Take the rest of the year combined, including November and this post and it totals...59. I was on a roll. But lately, it's been MP - Lite (and I hate Lite Beer, literally hate it, "Tastes Great!" "Less Filling!" BLEH!!!). It's been MP - Lite and I know it. I've almost done it purposely.

But there's a reason behind it all.

Myself.

My perception has changed. Not the blog, but my actual perception of things (notice the small p not the Big P). I've really felt the movement of the Spirit in me in terms of what I have been focusing my time and efforts on lately. And basically, it hasn't been the Spirit. It's hasn't been Jesus, the Gospel, or his Church. It's been on my perception.

I'm not trying to get cathartic all of sudden, or confessional, or make a proclamation the blog is getting shutdown, or I'm moving it or changing it's name or anything like that. No, I'm not going to make a "private" blog where only select people will receive an email from me to join it. I'm just saying things are going to change right here at MP. And I'm not even sure how sudden or drastic that change will be. I'll still provide the sports (fantasy and real) and still eat up 15 minutes of your day you'll never get back every Wednesday with my Self-Award Winning "The Last 5 Posts." I'll still rant and rave and appear to be a stubborn, bull-headed, confrontational person hiding behind a laptop computer. But things may change, no, they will change.

I've already begun work on it. And so far, I'm up to a 3 part series on politics and my affiliation with them. I've also began work on another series called "Detach and Attach" which has stemmed from the politics one and from some other discussions over time bewteen me and all you readers here at MP and at other blogs listed to your right. I'm not really sure when I am going to start roling all of these out. Tomorrow? Today? Next week? Next Month?

I'm not sure.

I also have 4 or 5 other ideas and posts rolling around on the Blogger Dashboard and in my head. Some I have mentioned before (Happiness, Why Pro-Life matters, etc.) others just because (Aliens and The Mothman, New Religions, etc.) and others will look all too familiar (the farce that is global warming, just this side of Libertarian fiscal policies and attitude on the government, and quit being a baby about Church) but I am just waiting for the "appropriate" time to roll them out. Who knows when that will be.

Regardless of all this banter and meandering, MP-Lite will be ending soon. And while the posts will probably get a little farther apart and come out in made for TV format or as a "series" I think you'll see somewhat of a subject matter change but the content should be a lot more deeper than just Fantasy Football.

So stay tuned, please.


Paid for by the committee to do away with My Perception - Lite