I don't know what you're looking for...

The Texas Rangers are in dire straits with no help in sight. The powers that be failed to pick up pitching in the offseason, and the Rangers are paying the price. The Rangers have the third worst record in baseball. (Take heart, we are better than the woeful Kansas City Royals and the Washington Nationals.) Only one Ranger stater has an ERA under 5.00. The best starter, Robinson Tejeda, is hovering around the 3.5 mark. I therefore submit three ideas to get the Rangers on the path to success. 1)Fire General Manager Jon Daniels. His only redeeming quality was he signed Kevin Millwood. That's working out real well about now. 2) Do not make any trades this year. You might be puzzled at this. Here's the thing: we do not have anything worth trading. The only two players who could garner any semi-worthwhile players in return, Michael Young and Ian Kinsler, are too valuable to let go. 3) Spend more money next year and spend it wisely. Instead of signing Sammy Sosa (although he's hitting homers, he has a terrible on base percentage) and Eric Gagne (he's on the DL), pool the resources and go after the big time starting pitcher.

Tomorrow is the big day in Liverpool. Chelsea comes a calling but without a key defender, a world class midfielder, and a legendary striker. Things are looking up for the Liverpool side. They need to score one to force extra time and a shootout. Ideally, they could get two and win outright. Two keys for tomorrow's game. First, play Steven Gerrard in the center midfield instead of the right side. Second, play goal scoring, robot dancing machine Peter Crouch the entire game. He came in during the first leg, and his impact was felt.

Today was pretty slow around the office. Congress was not in session, so I did not have to wear a suit. It is time to iron a shirt for tomorrow. That's all for tonight...

And I'll promise you this...

It was a beautiful day in Washington, D.C. I went to church this morning and then took a stroll down the Mall this afternoon. All in all, it was a pretty good day. I cannot wait to get back to Texas though. I got a letter from Baylor Law School yesterday. I got in with half scholarship but not until January. I am not sure what I am going to do. I did a lot of soul searching on my walk today. I have not come to any conclusions. But I'm headed that way.

Here is this week's edition of The Grey's Anatomy Powerrankings. Be sure to tune in for next week's two hour edition.

10. Addison- poor gal. She just cannot catch a break.
9. George- he is not going to transfer. Callie will get written off the show, not George.
8. Derek- he just has a lot on his mind. Look for him to snap out of his funk soon.
7. Meredith- she was still annoying, but at least she is trying.
6. Bailey- she did not catch the brain bleeding kid. However, she will be chief resident. You can take that to the bank.
5. Christina- she is driven. That's about all I can say. It will be interesting to see how it all plays out.
4. Alex- he is a jerk, no question about it. But he played the Addison thing perfectly. It will be interesting to see where he goes from here. Also, while it was not nice, it is probably a good idea to stay as far away from Addison as possible.
3. Izzie- I have a hard time putting her up this high, but with everyone else not having a great episode, she jumps up.
2. Burke- he is too good for Christina. There, I said it.
1. Chief- he put up with a lot with the chairman of the board being in the hospital. And with Bailey stumbling this week, he takes the top spot.

That's all for tonight...

Let me tell you what he's done for me...

Congratulations to Amy Tuegel for naming yesterday's song of the day. Mark, I could not agree with your hypothetical movie exec conversations. I would wager that they are not so hypothetical. Somehow, Cage's movies make money. I have yet to meet one person who was pumped about "Ghost Rider" and I definitely have not met anyone who is eagerly anticipating "Next." But it will make money I am sure. What a sad state we are in. I went and saw "Hot Fuzz" this afternoon and enjoyed it. It was clever and very British. I know ya'll were expecting the Grey's powerrankings, but my eyes are getting heavy, so they will appear in tomorrow's post. That's all for tonight...

I want you not to go but you did...

The Office last night was one of the best episodes I can remember. It started with Jim impersonating Dwight and never slowed down. Without further ado, here is this week's edition of Andrew's Official Powerrankings of the Office.

10. Karen- She just kinda stood there and took up space. However, this is a list of ten, so she made the list.
9. Creed- Does he every actually do any work in the office?
8. Pam- She did a great job running the camera for Michael's apology video. It takes a woman's touch.
7. The Reporter- Are you getting this? I'm writing down every word.
6. Kelly- It was her episode to shine.
5. Michael- He lost his cool in the press conference. It is easy to do when the press badgers you. Only the press did not.
4. Andy- A rough episode for him. I was not suprised that he was dating a high schooler. I'm just saying. I like how they gave little hints at it the whole episode, even before we knew his gf was in high school.
3. Angela- She just cannot apologize. It's ok.
2. Jim- The four dollar glasses and singing to cheer Andy up were just a few of the highlights from Jim's stellar episode. Also, they have not given us much on the Jim/Pam situation in a few weeks.
1. Dwight- Jim almost edged him, but the last scene helped Dwight retain his top spot. Also, his security clearances for the press were great.

Wednesday as I was walking down the street on my way home from work I walked past Ambassador John Bolton. I almost said hello, but I was afraid his mustache might get me. I rounded the corner and stood on the sidewalk while Vice President Cheney's motorcade passed. It was an eventful few minutes. Congratulations to Amy Tuegel from naming yesterday's song of the day. That's all for tonight...

Here I raise my ebeneezer...

This man has to be stopped. He has subjected the world to his cruel trade too long. Enough is enough. Who is this man? Osama, Robert Mugabe, Christiano Ronaldo, Kobe Bryant? No, the man is Nicholas Cage. How many bad action movies will he be allowed to make before someone steps in and says, "No more!" In his painfully long career, I can think of three movies that were worth the film they were printed on: The Rock, National Treasure, and Lord of War. The Rock was good for one reason: Sean Connery. I could have played Cage's part, and the movie would have been equally good. National Treasure was decent in spite of Cage. It was a passable script, and Justin Bartha (played Riley) stole the show. Most people did not like Lord of War. I thought it was thought provoking because it tackled a relatively unknow side of the conflicts that we rarely hear about. Again, Cage's character could have been portrayed by just about any male with a pulse. This year, Cage has sit the low point of his depressing body of work. (Though he could go lower. Nic, if you are reading this, this is not a challenge. I believe you can "act" in worse movies. Please just retire.) I am still trying to block the terrible images from the "Ghost Rider" previews. Now Cage, in his suprisingly successful campaign to make me want to gouge out my eyes, is starring in some equally pathetic action flick "Next." Nic please, for the sake of us all, quit while you are ahead. Or maybe just stop. That would be good.

Today as I was delivering faxes around the office, I noticed that our chief of staff, Gayland, was on his computer perusing one of my blog posts from January. I do not know if he is a regular reader or just stumbled upon it, but apparently my blog is getting around. So happy reading to all!

Slammin' Sammy Sosa belted two homers today, but the Rangers still lost. Pitching is the Ranger's problem every year, but every offseason they go get more offense. I stumbled across a pro-Rangers Facebook group touting Jon Daniels as the best GM in the league. While I love the Rangers, I am generally fed up with Mr. Daniels. In his short tenure with the team (2 years), he has made some of the worst trades ever. He traded big bat Alfonso Soriano for strike out king Brad Wilkerson, and no, he is not a pitcher. I was ready to part with Soriano, but I am a firm believer in acquiring someone who will help the team in return. After the Wilkerson whoopsie, he traded pitcher Chris Young to the Padres for Adam Eaton. Eaton spent most of the season on the DL, while Young went on to win 11 games with San Diego. To add insult to injury, Eaton signed with the Phillies in the offseason. Last season immediately before the trade deadline, Daniels dealt Coco Cordero and two other players to the Brewers in exchange for Carlos Lee. Lee signed a big contract with the Astros while Coco is enjoying a stellar year closing games up in Milwalkee. I do not even want to talk about the David Dellucci trade. Basically, Nicholas Cage needs to take Jon Daniels with him when they find a job that they are good at. Might I suggest McDonalds. (Though I would not want to degrade McDonalds.)

Amy, I regret to inform you that you were incorrect in reading my mind in last night's lyric game. I was actually shooting for "One Sweet World" by the same artist. However, your guess was accurate. Also, Mark, I was not shooting for a lyric in yesterday's second post title, though I am sure your answer was absolutely correct. I wore my navy suit with a green, navy, light blue, and tanish striped shirt with a light blue tie in a half-Windsor knot. This was also the suit I wore on the day I wrote the post that Gayland was reading today. That's all for tonight...

Emergency Update

Dateline Washington- He's back ladies and gentlemen- Sir Drinks-a-lot. He was escorted home tonight by two friends who he called right before he passed out. By passed out, I mean in the park a block east of us. I probably should not take such joy in this, but I do. I am a firm believer in consequences, and drinking enough alcohol to get the whole country of Yemen sloshed has its consequences. It is Newton's third at its finest. All hail Sir Drinks-a-lot.

Nine planets around the sun...

I just witnessed the opening tip of the Mavericks/Warriors game. I hope Dallas does not make me want to vomit tonight. In UEFA Champions League news, Chelsea eeked out a victory in London today. They take a narrow 1-0 aggregate leaded through to the next round thanks to a strike from English mid-fielder Joe Cole. I was not able to watch the game on TV or the computer (more on that later), but I received a detail report from both Aaron Dillard and Justin Scott's well written blog. Apparently, Liverpool controlled the tempo and pace of the game, but Chelsea goal keeper Petr Cech played out of his boots, coming up with some key saves. Liverpool is not out of it yet, but the pressure is definitley on them to preform in the second leg. As I finish this paragraph, it is now several minutes into the Dallas game, and the Mavs are playing like they want to lose this series. Avery is not happy.

Today was my big day to shadow the Good Congressman. In the space below, I will attempt to recollect my day. The times may not be exactly accurate, but they reflect the basic timeline of the day.

9:00 a.m.- I walk into work. The Good Congressman is at a GOP members only briefing, so I set about to do the office work.

9:30- I deliver a rush passport to the First Call office. The First Call lady complains about our office because we did not submit it correctly. I say, "Don't shoot the messenger." She sends me back to do it the right way.

9:35- I arrive back at the office where our office manager complains that the First Call lady is not doint her job right. I say, "Don't shoot the messenger."

9:40- I go back to First Call. Repeat conversation that occured at 9:30.

10:00- I am rescued from the previously mentioned downward spiral to meet up with the Good Congressman at a Science and Technology Committee mark-up. Nothing exciting happened. It reminded me of my days trying to stay awake in Dr. Dillman's classes. Here's the thing about Dillman/Science Committee: I have no doubt that he is a genius and that they are doing something important, they just do not communicate in an interesting manner. Two things I remember about the Committee meeting. 1) Congressman Dana (Yes, Dana is a man's name here) Rohrabacher had his Red Bull. I have been to probably a dozen committee hearing where Mr. Rohrabacker has been present, and he has downed a Red Bull on the rocks in every one of them. 2) A bill was marked up congratulating some physicist for winning some award. The Congresswoman introducing the bill said the award was "like the Nobel Prize for physics." No, it's not. There is a Nobel Prize for physics.

11:30- We exit the Science Committee and head to the Financial Services Committee. It was a hearing on concerns about commercial corporations operating banks. I knew a little about what was going on so this hearing was more interesting.

11:45- The Good Congressman steps out of the hearing to meet with some community bankers from Texas. I step out for the meeting as well, but I stand in the back of the group so I have a hard time hearing. When the meeting concludes, it is back into the hearing.

12:15- We step out of the hearing for a meeting with Texas textile producers. This meeting is smaller so I hear what is going on. The meeting is short because they really just came to tell the Good Congressman that they thought he was doing a great job.

12:30- The Good Congressman heads to C Street for his weekly meeting. I think it is a campaign meeting. Whatever it is, I am not invited. I head to lunch instead.

12:45- After standing in a long line, I quickly down some chicken tenders. As soon as I finish, I head over to my next meeting.

1:15- Congressman Jeb Hensarling gavels the Republican Study Committee into order. The RSC is a collection of over 100 conservative Republicans who meet once a week to advance the conservative agenda. Only about 30 members are in attendance today, but it was one of the most interesting parts of my shadowing. It was a good behind the scenes glance at how Congress works.

2:00- The RSC meeting ends promptly at 2 so the members can get to the classified briefing on Iraq presented by Gen. Petraeus. Since it was a classified members-only briefing, I waited in the hall. But the hall was where all the action was. As we approached to committee room where the briefing was held, a great clatter arose. It was the voices of angry anti-war protesters yelling at the members as they walked into the room. The standard line was "Make way for the war criminals." I have already discussed protesters at length, but I still wonder what they hope to accomplish by screaming and pointing fingers in member's faces. That is not going to bring any change of heart. (Note: This goes for crazy "You're all going to hell" Christians. I've never seen anybody convert after getting yelled at while they were walking down the street. Not saying it can't happen, just saying I've never seen it.) Also, apparently I was holding up the wall next to infamous (meaning more than famous) war critic Cindy Sheehan. I did not recognize her, but it could have been because of the hateful look on her face.

3:00- I head back to the office and pull up the Liverpool/Chelsea game on the computer long enough to see that Chelsea is up.

3:30- The first votes of the day are called. I walk over to the Capitol with the Good Congressman. We ride the members only elevator and he enters the House floor. I head up to the gallery to watch the vote. The three votes all pass overwhelmingly. I do not know what the votes were on, but it was probably renaming a post office or something.

4:30- With votes over, we head back to the office to pick up Skip Ogle. Skip is from SuddenLink communications and is here to film an interview with the Good Congressman. I considered telling him that SuddenLink's commercials were terrible, but I figured it was out of place. The interview consisted of questions we had given them. Basically it was free advertising.

5:30- As we walk back from the interview, votes are called again. We walk over, the Good Congressman votes, and we walk back to the Cannon building.

6:15- I head out the door to head back to my apartment. Everyone else in our office also heads home except the Good Congressman. He had a dinner meeting, and votes continued throughout the night. The last votes were expected around 9:30 or 10. The Good Congressman started his day a 5 and was at the office until around 10. Whoever tells you that members of Congress do not work hard does not know what they are talking about.

It is now halftime of the Dallas game, and the Warriors are still hanging around. I need to iron a shirt for tomorrow. That's all for tonight...

There ain't no need to go outside...

Today I was sitting in the House gallery watching procedings on the floor. The congressman running the chair, Mr. Salazzar of Colorado, was angrily banging his gavel, demanding the House be in order. After several attempts to bring quiet to the chamber, the Chair finally ordered Members to take their conversations off the floor. The offending group of members obliged and sheepishly filed out of the room. Who were these noisy representatives? It was the Democratic leadership, lead by Madame Speaker Nancy Pelosi herself. I am not sure what it was they were discussing that took precedent over their fellow Democrat trying to address the Congress, but I imagine it had something to do with raising taxes, taking away people's guns, or killing babies.

Not much happened around the office today. Things around 429 Cannon have a way of quickly turning around though. I am not sure what it is, but petty things quickly turn into end of the world things. Maybe it is caused by a multitude of type A people working in a high stress environment, but certain of my cohorts go from perfectly clam to absolutely losing it in less that 10 seconds. I usually has something to do with an issue that is out of their control. However, I do not get paid enough to get yelled at, so I usually remind them of this fact. That probably does not endear me to them, but that does not bother me.

The Rangers were supposed to play tonight, but the game was postponed because of rain. The Mavericks play tomorrow night and will most assuredly make a better showing than they did on Sunday night. I say that in all confidence because at times on Sunday, I thought I was watching high school basketball. Also, tomorrow sees the much anticipated showdown between Liverpool and Chelsea. By much anticipated, I mean this guy has been looking forward to it.

Tomorrow is also the day that I get to shadow the Good Congressman. It is one of the highlights of the internship. I am particularly excited about a few things on the schedule for tomorrow. I would elaborate, but that might discourage you from reading tomorrow night's post. I am trying to come up with some way to keep a running diary of my day tomorrow, but I am pretty sure the Good Congressman would not appreciate me following him around typing feverishly on my laptop all day. I could be wrong though. Finally, in an aside to J. Scott soon to be Esquire, please keep a running diary of the Liverpool/Chelsea clash tomorrow. It would be much appreciated. That's all for tonight...

Every day the dreamers die...

I will freely admit that I am skeptical of global warming. I will admit that some warming may be occuring, but I am not convinced it is man-made, and articles like I read today do not help. In case you missed it, singer/activist Sheryl Crow suggested that we regulate the amount of toliet paper we use to fight global warming. She proposed that people limit their Kleenex Cottonelle use to one square per bathroom visit, "except, of course, those pesky occasions when two or three could be required." (I swear I did not make that quote up. I do think I could have thought that up if I would have tried.) Crow has been thinking seriously about how to fight global warming on her recent college tour promoting warming awareness. While I do not mind the rare celebrity foray into politics, I am alarmed by Crow's "serious thinking." First, it worries me how she could say that and call it "serious thinking" with a straight face. Some amount of alcohol or less than legal substances had to be involved. Second, just because ex-fiance Lance has a prominent issue does not mean you have to steal the spotlight by making ridiculous suggestions. Crow went on to say that she "proposes a limitation on how many squares can be used in any one sitting." Skipping idiocy of this idea and the painful government intrusion into a very private area of people's lives, how exactly do you enforce rules like that? Does someone stand and count as you use the Charmin? Also, how exactly would cutting my use of Quilted Northern fix global warming? I think this is the problem with the pro-global warming crowd. (By that I mean the people who think it is man made. I do not know anyone who is really for global warming.) While they try to portray themselves as serious, science based folks, they constantly come out with litteral crap like this. Every modern problem is connected to global warming, and everything can be a fix to global warming. In conclusion, shouldn't Sheryl Crow be in favor of increased global warming? She said she was gonna soak up the sun. Now there is more of it.

In a serious note, former Russian President Boris Yeltsin died today. His record on democracy was a mixed bag. He did have a great made for TV moment on top of a tank "protecting democracy," but he also used those tanks to crush his political opponents. My favorite Yeltsin story is that time President Clinton made him cry after lecturing about Russia's human rights violations in Chechnya. However, Yeltsin is a more likable character than the increasingly despotesque Vladimir Putin who currently lives in the Kremlin.

The semi-finals of the UEFA Champions League begin tomorrow with a first leg match in Manchester. Hated Manchester United squares off with AC Milan. Liverpool opens at Chelsea on Wednesday. I am pulling for Liverpool with all my might, but I am not sure who I want to win the other matchup. If both Liverpool and AC Milan win, it will set up a rematch of the 2005 final. However, I almost want to see Man U advance to the finals only to be crushed by Liverpool. I guess I will just wait and see what happens on the pitch to determine the finals pairing.

I want to extend a very happy birthday to Micah and Josiah. I am positive they are in bed and am positive that they do not read my blog, but irreguarless (to channel Capt. Sobel), I give them my warmest birthday wishes. Speaking of Capt. Sobel, I watched a few episodes of Band of Brothers on the History Channel the other day. I love that series. HBO's finest production in my book. That's all for tonight...

A rolling stone gathers no moss...

So the new guy showed up today. I do not have a nickname for him yet, so he will be refered to as The New Guy. His real name is Dan. He is a Republican from Massachusetts (I didn't know they existed) who is in his junior year at Bates College in Maine. He has spent the entire afternoon sitting at his computer watching election results from France and playing his PSP. He seems like a nice enough guy, but I do not think he is much of a conversator. Also, he is a super loud gum smacker. I am sitting in the living room watching TV, and I can hear his smacking above Joe Morgan announcing the Red Sox/Yankees game.

I got up and went to church this morning. Capitol Hill Baptist Church is a pretty dressy church, with most men wearing suits or at least slacks and a button down. I attended this morning wearing Beltway appropriate attire. By that I mean I wore jeans and a polo. I figure Jesus loves me whatever I wear. That's all for tonight...

Scream without raising your voice...

I got a voicemail from WISH earlier in the week saying I had a new roommate moving in this afternoon. It is now 11:25, and he has yet to show. I feel like WISH lied to me. I am ok with him not showing up, because until he does, I have my own room. I went down to Georgetown today. It is one of the oldest parts of DC, but now it is a lot of high end shops. Having no money to spend on clothes, I merely looked. I did find a nice pair of Puma shoes, but they will have to wait until I have a job. Or at least a job that pays.

The weather today was beautiful with bright blue sky and the mercury topping out at 81. The only down side is that everything is blooming. I have never suffered from particularly bad allergies, but I have had a mild headache all day long. Also, my nose hurts, but I cannot figure out why. It's not clogged. It is like my nostril that hurts. It is weird.

I have not written about sports in a while. The Dallas Mavericks start their 2007 championship run against the Golden State Warriors tomorrow. I am predicting the series will be fairly short, either four or five games. In baseball news, the Texas Rangers are struggling through another typical Ranger's season. Their offence has not been spectacular, but it also has not been fatal. The problem is the starting pitching. (Suprise! Suprise!) If the starter throws well, the Rangers are in the game with a great shot at winning. If the starter gets roughed up, it is a lost cause. In English soccer news, Manchester United was held to a draw today. If Chelsea wins out, they will retain their Premiership title. That's all for tonight...

Lookin' for the one...

I do not feel like writing much tonight. I just hiked around with some kids from Dallas Baptist University and saw the monuments at night. It is a long story about how I met up with them, but it basically involves me seeing Becky Dunn, who I worked with at camp for two years, in the Longworth cafeteria today. She and the choir from DBU are singing at the National Cathedral on Sunday. So I hung out with them tonight, and it was grand. This will be my shortest post on record. That's all for tonight...

I will always forget you...

How did the actions of Mr. Cho, who had a documented history of mental illness, demonstate the problem of evil? I will start with the big picture and move towards the small. First, mental illness is evil in and of itself. Is everyone who has a mental illness evil? Of course not. By my previous statement, I simply mean that mental illness would not exist if it were not for evil. Because of man's rebellion against God (and I am sure my esteemed uncle would begin his disagreement here. We may just have to agree to disagree on this point.), evil became ingrained in the very DNA of mankind, shattering the paradise that existed. Because of Adam's grasp to be like God, we deal with the consequences, only one of which is mental illness. Also, Mr. Cho obviously had serious mental problems, but I am not sure that he is completely irresponsible for his actions. I have a hard time he believed that what he did was completely right. While he felt that he was compelled to kill and that he was a martyr fighting for those like him, that hardly absolves him of guilt. We do not let terrorists who kill simply walk free because they view themselves as martyrs and morally blameless. Mr. Cho's troubled past certainly provides motive to his actions, but it does not make him innocent, even by reason of mental defect.

My uncle also indicated that by tossing around the word "evil" it has become essentially meaningless. I would argue the exact opposite. I feel that we have dilluted the meaning because we are too hesitant to use evil. Mass murderers are no longer evil, they are people to be pittied who might have legitimate means. I do not care how legitimate your cause is, nothing justifies the murder of innocent lives, be it 32, 3,000, or 800,000 lives. In this era of political correctness, nothing can be labeled as evil without the labeler being called bigoted and intolerant. Perhaps the most distressing part of evil losing its meaning is that good has lost its value as well.

I agree that the Iraq war was started under false pretenses. Saddam did not prosess weapons of mass destruction. To state otherwise is to be ignorant of the facts. Additionally, no significant links existed between the Baathist regime and al-Queda. However, at this stage, it is simply impossible to call a muligan and withdraw. The country is too shattered and too unstable. (Granted we created that instability. But it is too late now. It exists.) If we leave now, what is happening in Darfur will happen in Iraq- genocide. The Sunnis and Shiites are already killing each other with vigor. They are not going to stop simply because we are not there anymore. The fragile Iraqi government will collapse, and the country will go from minor to medium chaos to all out insanity. With no strong force there, warlords, despots, and terrorists will begin a wholesale slaughter to try to grab as much power and influence as they can. In Iraq and in most of the Third World, power flows from the barrel of a gun. I wish it were some other way, but it is not. Whoever can fight and kill most effectively rules. That is why there is genocide in Darfur, and that is why there will be genocide in Iraq if the United States pulls out. We need to stay in Iraq for the time being so we do have hundreds of thousands innocent Iraqis being murdered.

The band that sits atop my list of top ten bands should not suprise any regular reader of this blog. The greatest Irish band to ever exist- U2. Their musical careers spans over 25 years, yet their music does not show their age. Their latest album ranks as one of their best. The Vertigo Tour is by far the best concert I have ever been to in my entire life. To call it a concert does not do it justice; it was a spiritual experience. I paid a seemingly obscene amount of money for my ticket, but I would pay twice that to see them. Congratulations to Mark Johnson for reading my mind and naming yesterday's song of the day. I used to have the Beatles on my iPod, but that was two iPods ago. I miss them. In closing, I give you Coldplay and U2. That's all for tonight...

I'll always be true...

I want to express my sincere gratitude to Dwight Schrute for posting on my wall. It is an honor to have someone like him grace me with his answers to yesterday's song of the day contest. As Dwight is a genius, he was of course correct. So congratulations Dwight!

I also received a comment from someone who left Code Pink's misson statement. I want to issue a correction. Code Pink was started as a woman's movement, not a GLBT one. However, most of the protesters from Code Pink that I have seen on Capitol Hill have their pink outfits tagged with statements of support for GLBT issues. Also, I was persuing Code Pink's website, and in addition to all the things dealing with Iraq, they also have a section calling on the United States and the Bush administration to do whatever is necessary to end the conflict in Darfur. While I agree with them on this issue, their hipocracy strikes me as funny. They decry the U.S. military involvement in Iraq and take a hyper-pacifist stance, but the only way the Darfur conflict is going to be solved is by deploying international troops into Sudan in general and Darfur specifically. I am sure if we end up sending peacekeepers to Darfur, Code Pink will be out in force demanding their immediate withdrawl.

Coming in at number two in my top ten bands is the British quartet Coldplay. I had the pleasure of seeing Coldplay in concert a year ago February, and it was hands down one of the most entertaining events I have ever witnessed. Best known for their mega-hits "Yellow" and "Clocks," this multiple Grammy winning band has a lot more going for them than those songs. I honestly have a hard time picking which of their three albums is the best. They all have individual merit, and my favorite depends on my mood. They and the band to be named tomorrow are the only bands that I would pay any price and travel any distance to go see. The next time Coldplay embarks on a world tour, be sure to catch them. You will not be disappointed. That's all for tonight...(I can't get pictures to work tonight. Amy, do not freak out. There will be a picture of Chris Martin tomorrow. It will all be ok.)

Never a frown with golden brown...

I gave my second tour in as many days for the office of ACU's own Congressman Judge Ted Poe. Their intern has not shown up for work the past two days because she is in the ICU. Supposedly she moved out of the ICU today, so things are looking up. I guess being terribly sick is a good reason not to come to work. I really like being in the Congressman Judge's office because his walls are decorated with all things Texan. He has a picture of him and Willie Nelson prominently displayed as well. While many people disagree with Willie's potsmoking, liberal leaning, long haired antics, no one questions his status as a Texas legend.

An anti-war protestor literally knocked me over today. I was walking in the Rayburn building down committee row, and she was trying to make it to a hearing about Guantanamo Bay. Before you question my toughness or accuse me of taking a Christiano Ronaldo like dive, this was no ordinarry woman. She was 6 foot plus, muscular, and I swear she had shaved her face this morning. This protester belonged to the infamous group "Code Pink." In case you are unfamiliar with Code Pink, they are a gay/lesbian/bisexual/transgendered group that vehemently opposes the war in Iraq and wants the troops withdrawn yesterday. They have promised to make themselves heard on Capitol Hill until the war ends. I have the feeling that they will be here for a while. Some of them have been arrested trying to demonstrate in Nancy Pelosi's office, which is two floors down from the Good Congressman's. They like to go to committee hearing and position themselves and their sharpie-markered pink regalia in the C-SPAN camera's shot.

Code Pink channels Lady Liberty:I have a few thoughts about anti-war protestors. First, I absolutely think it is great that they are up here. I really do. I think that is the beauty of American democracy that they can publically and loudly demonstrate against the government. Having said that, I think they are ridiculous. They either know absolutely nothing about the political system/process or choose to ignore it. I am not sure which is worse. A Democratic controlled Congress cannot bring the troops home tomorrow. That is not the way it works. It is an impossibility. Getting arrested, yelling, and cussing is not going to make a withdrawl happen. At least we can be civil. Also, the vast majority of anti-war protesters are either in their 60s or 70s (grandmothers) or in their 20s. I am not sure what this says about the 30-50 crowd. They are either 1) smart 2) don't care or 3) have better things to do. I have concluded just about all of the anti-war crowd is unemployed. (Or unemployable. Your choice. Also, I am not making any statements about those who favor a withdrawl from Iraq along the lines of recent Democratic proposals. I am commenting on the people who run around like idiots on Capitol Hill)

We have a tie for second place in my top ten bands. Tonight's band hails from Virginia and has been on the music scene for over 15 years. Of all the bands on the list, I have seen this one the most. It is the Dave Matthews Band. Dave's skilled guitar playing places him a cut above the rest. Carter Beauford is one of the best drummers in music today. The Band has a unique sound, featuring both a violin and a saxophone. My only complaint about the band is that Boyd Tinsley, the violinist, plays the same solo in every song. All the other members stretch themselves musically. Maybe their risk taking will rub off, and Boyd will try something new. Finally, congratualtions to Amy Tuegel for winning yesterday's song of the day. That's all for tonight...

Its roots are deep, deep in the ground...

Coverage of the events at Virginia Tech dominated the buzz around Capitol Hill today. I am certain that in the coming days much of the discussion will center around what could have been done to prevent this from happening, why the students warned sooner, and the tried and true debate on the Second Amendment. All of those musings are necessary and healthy, but I would like to inject some different thoughts tonight. Today's tragedy is just another reminder that we live in a fallen world. As we constantly strive towards a better tomorrow, it is painful to be reminded that we are still shackled by a sinful, evil world. Some might argue that evil, as well as good, does not exist. Today jerks us back to reality. If the intial reports prove correct, this spree started with an angry, embarrassed boyfriend. In world without evil, that would lead to crying and maybe overeating. However, because of our fallen nature, it lead to the cold-blooded murder of 32 people, not to mention the hundreds of lives shattered.

As a Christian, I believe Romans when it says that all things work for the good of those that love God. How does something like this turn out good? I have no ideas, no answers. It is times like these where we need to press into a loving God, even when our temptation is to run away from Him. If anything, this should make us long for a place where there is no evil, no sadness, no more tears. But also, we need to remember the words of the Lord's prayer, "Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven." On earth as it is in heaven. We need that heaven on earth. That's the goal. Let's strive for that, even if it is unattainable.

Number four on my list of top ten bands is the British-trio Keane. The band is very basic, sporting only a singer, drummer, and pianist. Their melodies are far from basic, and their lyrics are often dark but inspired. They seem to catch some of the real struggles in life and infuse them into the music. They top the list of bands that I want to see but have not yet. In a cruel twist of fate, they are playing in DC two weeks after I leave. My only complaint with Keane is that they think people only live on the East and West Coast in the U.S. Maybe I should look into visiting California. Finally, congratulations to Katie Hooper for dominating the country genre and naming yesterday's song of the day. That's all for tonight...

Do you wanna be my friend...

Congratulations to Michael Roberts for identifying yesterday's song of the day. I do not have much to write about tonight. It rained pretty hard most of the day, so I stayed home and read. I went to Union Station tonight to visit Starbucks and stretch my legs. Currently I am watching the Dodgers/Padres game and Rachel Robinson, the widow of Jackie Robinson, is in the booth. Today marks the 60th anniversary of Robinson breaking the color barrier. It would be hard to imagine what life would be like without Robinson's sacrifice and heart in being willing to take all the abuse, insults, and mistreatment to pave the way for so many.

The Killers hold down the number five spot in my top ten count down. Relatively new to the music scene, the Killers have an alterative sound with almost an 80s hair band flair. Do not be alarmed by their name. I am almost positive that none of the members of the band have any homicides on their records. The Killers are coming to the greater DC metro area in two weeks, and I am considering going. I have seen them once, and they know how to put on a show. That's all for tonight...

It's such a tired game...

Tonight's post deals almost soley with the soccer match I attended, so consider yourself warned. I arrived at Robert F. Kennedy Stadium about half an hour before kickoff. Having attended sporting events in mostly modern ballparks, I was shocked to see how crapped and aged the corridors of RFK were. I found my seat about 20 rows off the pitch. As soon as I sat down, the rain started. It continued throughout the match in a light to medium drizzle and stopped as the final whistle blew. I came prepared wearing my rain jacket, but my jeans got soaked because I was in a "sitting only" section. I was slightly envious of the "Screaming Eagles" (D.C. United's attempt at a raucous fan section), because they stood and cheered the entire time. If I had been doing the same, I am fairly confident my lower half would have remained as dry as my upper half. Major League Soccer draws a unique crowd, with families or foreign nationals making up most of the crowd. Tonight, I talked to people from England, Spain, Brazil, Columbia, and Mexico who had all come to see the American version of the world's game. All stadium announcements were made in both English and Spanish. The MLS knows were its fan base is!

Immediately prior to the game, D.C. Mayor Adrian Fenty gave a speech asking people to come out to the D.C. voting rights rally scheduled for Monday. This was my first time to hear the mayor, but I instantly disliked him. I think it was the way he started his speech. "I am Adrian Fenty, mayor of Washington D.C. The last time I was at a United game was before I was elected mayor of Washington D.C. But now since I am mayor of Washington D.C., it is my honor to be here. As mayor of Washington D.C., I will do everything I can to support this club. Since I am mayor of Washington D.C...." well you get the point. I am sure he is a nice guy, but he does not need to mention he is mayor 7 times in the first 5 lines of his speech. We get it. You're the mayor!

The match itself was pretty entertaining. I did not care who won the game, but I traditionally like the D.C. teams to lose, so if I had to pick a side, it would have been the Kansas City Wizards. My support of the Wizards only grew as the game progressed. I did not care for D.C. United's style of play. They seemed lazy and rarely attacked the opposing goal. If I had one label to give to United, it would be "serial divers." I saw more players in black hit the pitch without assistance than I could count. The Wizards had a very open style of play and jumped out to a quick two goal lead in the first ten minutes. United fought their way back. Their equalizer came on a beautifully taken free kick by Christian Gomez. The kick was great, but the foul that lead to the free kick was questionable. Gomez dramatically fell as if pushed from behind, only no one was behind him. The ref (who was woefully, but equally bad all night) was not really paying attention, but seeing Gomez on the ground, decided a foul must have occured. Speedster Eddie Johnson put the Wizards up 3-2 with a breakaway goal in injury time of the first half.

D.C. United controlled the pace of the second half with one exception. The Wizards counterattacked beautifully about 5 minutes into period, with Johnson rocketing one in that the keeper blocked. Scott Sealy was trailing and blistered the rebound into the goal, putting the Wizards up 4-2. United kept possesion almost exclusively for the rest of the game, but never looked serious about putting another one in. They passed the ball around in K.C.'s box numerous times, but no one took a shot. They prefered to fall down and hope for a penalty kick, but that hope never materialized. D.C. United played rather boring football, sticking to basic passes and never taking any real risks. The Wizards were delightful to watch. They played the traditional 4-4-2 but relied on swift counterattacks. Three of their four goals came on the counter. They were not afraid to make the long pass or to make runs to get open. The man of the match was Eddie Johnson. He gave the United backline fits all night. His efforts brought about two goals. When the final whistle blew, the home crowd booed their team for such a flat, lackluster preformance.

Coming in at number six in my top ten bands is the David Crowder Band. Their creative melodies and lyrics are unique among Christian music these days. They realize they can be both good musicians and good witnesses for Christ. Also, their concerts are some of the most entertaining I have been to. Finally, congratulations to Mark Johnson for winning yesterday's song of the day. Although he used Google to remind him of the answer, no one else wrote in protesting, so the title is his. That's all for tonight...

I taught the weeping willow how to cry...

Congratulations to the other Neugebauer for correctly identifying yesterday's song of the day. There is a difference between the Neugebauers is the Good Congressman pronounces his last name "Nogebauer" while Amanda prefers "Newgebauer." However you say it, it sounds like a winning name to me.

I am watching a Ron White special on CMT (Don't judge me.), and it is great. While decidedly inappropriate, he is one of my favorites. I saw a commercial for the upcoming Country Music Awards, and it touted that Bon Jovi was playing. I have two problem with this. 1) Why advertise that Bon Jovi is playing? The point is to try to get people to watch it, not scare them off. 2) I thought Bon Jovi was rock not country. Needless to say, Bon Jovi will not be making my list of top ten bands. I guess this demonstates that no matter what genre you try to play, you cannot hide the fact that you suck.

In a related advertising note, we need to discuss Chevrolet. I am no business or marketing major, but I have a few observations. The United States auto market is drastically changing. Toyota is voraciously clawing its way to the top of the sales numbers. Chevy, in a brilliant ploy, is trying to sell cars by running ads with obnoxious songs. The Super Bowl ads featuring various levels of celebrities attempting to sing about the glorious of Chevrolets. None of us can block the memory of the terrible "This Is Our Country" ads that still plague the airwaves. I do not know about you, but after the repeated viewing of these ads, I am more likely to murder John Mellencamp than buy a Chevy.

Coming in at the number seven spot in my survey of top ten bands is ACU band Homer Hiccolm and the Rocketboys. I must say that they really are not in my top ten, but I was listening too them as I wrote this, so I thought I would plug them. By far the best thing to come out of the ACU music scene since Steven Speaks, the Rocketboys are a treat to watch and the most popular band at ACU. Be sure to check them out at myspace.com/rocketboys. That's all for tonight...

Saints and children, we have gathered here...

In a gross error, I called someone a "nappy-headed ho" today. Oh wait that was Don Imus. It is federal law that everyone who is a reporter or has a blog write about it, so I figured I would get in my joke. But seriously, yesterday I forgot to give Katie Hooper the credit she was due for winning Tuesday's song of the day contest. In a related note, Michael Roberts dominated yesterday's contest. The weather in DC produced a howling wind and a stinging rain for about five minutes. And then it was sunny. But the rain is supposed to return sometime tomorrow I think.

Come May 5, I will be unemployed. I probably will not notice the difference because I currently do not collect a paycheck, but I need something to do this summer. I have looked into a few jobs but have not found anything yet. I keep waiting for Tom Hicks to call and offer me a job as his liaison between the Texas Rangers and Liverpool FC, but my phone has been eerily silent. I should look at other options. That is where you come in. Somewhere within my wide readership is someone who knows someone who is looking for a smart, clean, articulate recent college graduate for a paid internship or summer position. I am willing to take that job if they are willing to settle for someone who is not that smart or articulate. I am clean however. I shower at least once a day. So if you would like to see me working in your neighborhood this summer, send a comment my way of a job that you think would be good. I would really appreciate it. But Tom, if you are reading this, I would be ideal for that liaison posistion since I love both the Rangers and Liverpool.

I have found myself lately wanting to use words that I do not know. By that I mean I have a vague idea of the word I should use, but I end up botching it or mispronouncing it. I am not sure what to call this phenomenon, but I think President George W. Bush calls it trying to give a speech. I have come to the realization that I need to expand my vocabulary. I am considering buying a thesaurus and just reading a little bit every night. I figure this would improve both my lexicon and maybe even my spelling. (Can I get an amen Katie?)

So I fielded at least one call today and read a few letters from people who were passionate about legislating English as the national language. These people were very upset about "Mexican" taking over as the language of our country. I would be upset too if I was not smart enough to figure out that in Mexico they speak Spanish. Apparently, it is incredibly troubling to have to push 1 for English when calling an automated phone system. The letters are read demand a law be passed that establish English as the official language. This is a dumb piece of legislation for two main reasons: 1) Just because the federal government mandates English does not mean all of the immigrants are suddenly going to learn it. Oh, the government said that English is the national language, I need to change the way I live! 2) It is political party suicide. It would not kill either party immediately. In fact, English as the national language polls very well especially in West Texas. But let us look at the facts. Hispanics just became the largest minority in the country. In a few years, they will be the majority in Texas. The best way to kill your party is to alienate one of the largest voting blocks. The people who write and call our office see the encroachment of Spanish as the death of America. I see it as a good reason for me to learn to speak another language.

Coming in at number eight in my top ten bands is the late, great Rich Mullins. I was raised on Christian music, with a particular emphasis on Rich, Steven Curtis Chapman, and Michael W. Smith. I listen to less and less expressly Christian artists, but Rich still remains in my playlists. I think this is because he has sincere heartfelt lyrics and impeccable instumental skills. One of my favorite songs of his is "Creed" because of the music video. The video opens with a wide shot of a Kansas wheat field with Mullins sitting down playing his hammer dulcimer. The camera zooms in, and it is clear that he is playing this impossible rythm with his eyes closed. My main beef with Christian music is often times artists sacrifice the music for the message, but Rich Mullins had both. That's all for tonight...

In the howling wind comes a stinging rain...

So the first thing my roommate said as he walked in the door was, "I only had a few beers." Quite a conversation starter, let me tell you. I do not know if the alcohol called him to confuse me with his mother, but he was obviously concerned that I would tattle on him. I do not really care what he does with his time. He is an adult and can make his own decisions. However, he did put me in sort of a bind. He-Who-Drinks-No-More does not accurately describe him, but if he is only having a few beers Sir Drinks-a-lot is not a good moniker either. I need to come up with a nickname that will be correct no matter his alcohol intake. In another roommate note, he slept through his alarm today and showed up to work an hour late. I laughed quietly to myself.

Liverpool coasted by PSV Eindhoven on a 4-0 aggregate score and will meet Chelsea in the semi-finals. AC Milan scored two goals in Munich, booking their passage to the next round and a date with streaking Manchester United. I checked the forecast as I bought my ticket to watch DC United on Saturday night, and the weatherman said it would be a warm 65 around kick off. He has since revised that prediction, and game time conditions are expected to be around 50 with a light rain adding to the fun. While I was hoping for the spring like conditions, the dismal weather is an opportunity to test my soccer fan mettle. I figure the weather on Saturday night will reflect the climate in which most English soccer games are played. The DC United will serve as the minor leagues, and hopefully one day I will get my shot in the bigs at a match at Anfield. (Probably not because Liverpool is about to build a new stadium.)

To my Cornyn coffee, I wore my navy suit with a white shirt and a blue tie worn in a Windsor knot. I did not technically drink coffee, because I still have not conquered the gag reflex that occurs when I ingest it. (I made that comment in jest. I can actually drink coffee, but I do not particularly enjoy it. Grace, however, does enjoy it guzzles it out of her sippie cup.)

Coming in at number 9 in our review of top ten bands is actually a single person, but I am still counting him as a band. He is the man in black, Johnny Cash. I started liking Cash relatively late, but his genius is too much to ignore. His new approach to music changed both country and rock. One of my favorite recordings of Cash is when he covered U2's "One" late in his career. He took an already great song and made it better. I wish we could say the same for Mary J. Blige's rendition. That's all for tonight...

And there has never, ever been...

Congratulations to Miss Katie Hooper for winning yesterday's song of the day. I have a very limited country selection mostly comprised of T Bar M Camp Travis Boot Scoot songs, but when I venture into the genre, I can always count on Katie to come up big.

I went to coffee with Senator Cornyn today. I was one of 4 people there. It is an open coffee, advertised on the internet, but still no one came. So if you are ever in Washington on a Tuesday morning that the Senate is in session, you should stop by and pay the Senator a visit. He is a very nice guy, and a lot taller than I expected.

In soccer news, Chelsea escaped to the UEFA Champions League semi-finals on a last minute strike by Michael Essien. Manchester United's fan did not answer Roma's visit with hooliganism, but rather cheered as their beloved Red Devils systematically dismantled the visiting Italians 7-1. To put that into perspective, imagine the score as 49-7. In some circles, that is known as a woodshed game. Liverpool plays tomorrow. In order to move on, they simply have to not give up 3 goals. It should be an easy task.

Tonight sees the debut of the first in a series of detailing my top 10 favorite bands. They will mostly be in order, starting with number 10 and moving down to number 1. Coming in at the number 10 spot is Robert Randolph and the Family Band. Their debut album "Unclassified" got me hooked. They are kind of a gospel/funk, led by Mr. Randolph on the lap steel guitar. It was eye opening to hear said instrument used in a rock fashion instead of the usual country twang. Robert Randolph is near the top of my list of bands to see live that I have not. He was playing mere miles down the road from me last summer, but sadly I was occupied with camp. So here he is, number 10, Robert Randolph. That's all for tonight...

I'm about to bid my heart goodbye...

So the Rangers almost made a comeback last night. They scored a run in the 8th before Boston put in their fearsome closer to secure the last 5 outs. The final score was 3-2. However, the Rangers are up 8-2 right now over the D Rays. Also, Brad Lidge is no longer the Houston Astros closer. In case you are unfamiliar with Lidge, he was one of the premier big league firemen until the 2005 playoffs when Albert Puljos hit a homer so hard that it was still rising when it hit the stadium back wall (not the outfield back wall mind you). Lidge has never been the same. Puljos singlehandedly destroyed the promising career of Lidge. I think it is amazing.

Tomorrow sees the last legs of the ties for Manchester United and Chelsea. They find themselves in similar predicaments. Both need to score only one goal to win. However, if they do not score, Roma and Valencia will move onto the UEFA Champions League semifinals. The first match of the Man. U/Roma series was marred by a violent clash between United's fans and police in Rome. Soccer violence was a fixture of the English game in the late 70s and throughout the 80s. Massive overhauls of the rules and of stadium structure has virtually eliminated riots from British stadiums, but hooligan violence is not uncommon on the continent. Italy has had a particular problem with it as of late. A usher was killed in Sicily when a riot ensued. Italian stadiums were closed for a week as team sought to implement the new regulations to ensure fan safety. Some of the rules are things we would consider common sense, such as every fan must have their own seat. Also, they banned flares. As in the things that flame up that you can see from a long way away. It is tradition to throw them on the field during AC Milan/Inter Milan games. Say what you want about soccer, but there's nothing like a game where highly flammable devices are thrown on the playing field and where you have a legitimate fear of getting beat my police/opposing fans. That brings a whole new level of excitement and committment to the team you are supporting.

I am sorry for only discussing sports in tonight's post. That is what happens when you do not comment. I am going to a coffee tomorrow with Texas Senator John Cornyn in the morning. I am not sure how many people will be there, but I am going to get my picture made with him. That's all for tonight...

Though I can't say why, I know I got to believe...

I thought it was impossible, but we had a tie in yesterday's song of the day game. So congratulations to both Amy Tuegel and Michael Roberts for naming "40" by U2 at 8:48 last night. Also, anonymous (who I suspect is Caroline) is right. I did sleep in last Sunday. However, I did decide to teach myself to shuffle, but I certainly had help along the way. But the decision was mine.

This Easter morning I woke up and trekked over to Capitol Hill Baptist Church. He-Who-Drinks-No-More was awake and making breakfast but declined to join me for church. I sat next to Marissa, my boss, at church. About half way through the service, I realized I smelled vaguely like the burnt hash-browns my roomate had made, and I became terribly self-conscious. Then I remember Marissa smokes like a chimney and her sense of smell is impaired, so I was in the clear. The sermon covered Luke 6 and was not Easter specific, but was good nonetheless. We sang some good old hymns including "All Creatures of Our God and King," which is one of my favorites. After the service, I went home and made some Spaghettios and then took a nap.

I suspect the 2008 presidential candidates are not getting too much buzz around Abilene. However, one particular candidate is getting a suprising amount of support on the ACU campus via Facebook. And if it's on Facebook, it must be true. That one candidate is Barrack Hussein Obama. I think this is for two reasons. 1) He's not Hillary. I cannot emphasize this point enought. And 2) He is such a clean slate and has not taken major posistions on anything, save the war in Iraq. Think about it. What do we know about Obama's platform. He is for a "new kind of politics," whatever that means. He is for restoring civility and accountability in politics, hardly original or massively unpopular stances. He is for making American "energy independent." Where have I heard that before? Oh wait, just about every politician since the OPEC embargo has said that. Finally, he has been against the Iraq war from the beginning. Because of this position, he has basically been given a free pass. No one seems to be too concerned what he awants to do about it now, which would be a seem to be a little bit important. Obama's whole candidacy reminds me of a discussion on the West Wing between Josh and then Senator Hoynes. Vaguely paraphrasing Josh's monologue:

Josh: We're one month away from the first primary and I don't know what we're for or against, except we seem to be for winning and against someone else winning.

Obama is the same way. He is for him winning and against anyone else winning. His platform is purposely vague and non-descript. I think this is why many young, impressionable, mostly politically naive, normally conservative ACU students are flocking towards the "ACU for Obama" facebook group. Here is the rub: Obama is that candidate you want him to be. He does not take stands, and you get to fill in the blank. For the liberals, he is the messianic savior, ushering in a new era of Democratic party greatness. For the conservatives, he is the young, hip, moderate who is cool to like because he might just be a conservative at heart. And Obama is happy with that. As long as he is what you want him to be, he can win. But do not ask him to lead. That would mean standing for something. All of this is to say, if the election were today, I would not vote for Obama. But maybe he will do something to redeem himself.

The Rangers are currently in a pretty good game with the Red Sox. The Sox lead 3-1 in the top of the 8th. Hopefully, the Rangers can get their bats going. I started to do a running diary of the game, but after about 15 minutes I just had about 4 jokes about how crazy Vicente Padilla is. I figured you did not want to be subjected to that. Hopefully the Rangers can rally as they come to bat. That's all for tonight...

I will sing, sing a new song...

I got to sleep in today for the first time in a few weeks. It was great! I went to the Barnes and Nobles near Metro Center and bought Fever Pitch, the original book about soccer not the lame Jimmy Fallon movie, and the second season of Arrested Development. I have not started the book but have watched a few episodes of the adventures of the Bluth family. I think I am almost to the episode where Buster looses his hand.

The other day I bought a deck of cards. This is one of the best purchases I have made all semester. I love cards. I do not actually play any card games with them. Instead I just sit there and practice my shuffle. For most of my life, I have been unable to shuffle cards, but last spring I began to teach myself how. I carried a deck around with me everywhere and practiced whenever I got the chance. After a week of picking cards up off the floor every time I tried to shuffle, I finally started to get the hang of it. Now I can do the bridge with the best of them. Since I can shuffle, I am hoping to teach myself to juggle a soccer ball next. I think this one is going to take a little more time.

I am watching Baseball Tonight as I am writing this and Slammin' Sammy Sosa just hit his first steriod free homerun as the Rangers are leading the Red Sox. In English soccer, Liverpool won today, solidifying their automatic Champions League birth for next year. Chelsea won, and hated Manchester United lost, pulling Chelsea within 3 points for the Premiership lead as the season enters its final month. Tonight I purchased a ticket for D.C. United's home opener next Saturday night. It will be my first professional soccer match to attend, but I have the sinking suspicion that the LaPopular Dragons play better soccer than any MLS team. In Dragons news, the last fixture of the season was postponed due to light snow in Abilene today. That's all for tonight...

Boy, stupid boy...

Congratulations to Amy Tuegel for correctly identifying yesterday's song of the day. The day at the office was pretty hectic. I spent most of my day giving two tours, and the other time packing up the Good Congressman's office. No, he is not resigning or anything like that. Last week there was a water leak on the floor about us, causing water damage to the wall and carpet. We moved everything out so they can replaster the wall and replace the floor. All of that is scheduled to start Monday and be done by Friday. We will see if that actually happens.

In unusual news, the Rangers got their first win of the season against the visiting Boston Red Sox. The Rangers start pitched seven innings of shutout, two-hit ball. In other news, the apocalypse is near. Sammy Sosa got his first RBI of the season on a checked swing bloop into right field. Our solid bullpen set up and then closed the game perfectly. Seriously, the bullpen is one of the Ranger's biggest strengths. You would never know it, because the game is usually well out of hand by the time our relievers come in. In distressing news, catcher Gerald Laird has the highest batting average, an uninspiring .231. I realize it is early in the season, but that should lead to both extremely high and extremely low averages. The Rangers are concentrating on the latter.

He-Who-Drinks-No-More got a job with a lobbying firm and is in the living room trying to fill out his tax forms. He is having a hard time to say the least. I am not sure if that is a statement about his intelligence or the intelligence of the federal government. I'll let y'all figure it out. (Note: My roomate has gone from an English inspired nickname to a Native American one. He is that talented.)

Tonight I went see the new Will Ferrell flick "Blades of Glory." It was funny but not life changing, which is exactly what I expected. The movie featured Jenna Fischer, the actress who portrays Pam on the Office. And without further ado, here is this installment of Andrew's Official Powerrankings of The Office.

10. Andy- He took mace in the face. How did anger management classes teach him to deal with that?
9. Kevin- "Jim, lookout! Roy!"
8. Michael- He wore a woman's suit the entire episode.
7. Jim- Can't complain about his preformance. The certificate for Dwight was pretty funny.
6. Pam- She did a good job of bringing the Roy thing to a close. Also, she made a decent attempt to reach out to Jim.
5. Creed- It was nice of him to give Michael back the forty bucks he stole.
4. Daryl- Solid episode, especially with all the cell phone pictures and email.
3. Angela- She was pretty creppy listening to people tell of Dwight's heroics.
2. Toby- I really enjoyed his bit about preparing for the first case of a male subordinate withholding sex from a female superior.
1. Dwight- Macing not one but two people in the face is more than enough to retain the top position.

The people above me cooked fish tonight and it stinks. That's all for tonight.

When I know that you hurt inside...

To start the evening, I want to express my utter confusion at the lonely comment left yesterday. Could the commentor (Mark Johnson) leave a clarifying statement on this latest post? I believe he was trying to express his frusration that I had not converted to the John Edwards camp after his eloquent ennumeration of his case, but that is just a guess.

Another boring day around the office. About half the staff is out on vacation, so there is really not much going on. Tomorrow we will finish writing all of our February letters. "It's April," you say. "Why are you still working letters received in the shortest month?" The postman brings our office thousands of pieces of constituent mail every month. Most earn a quick and easy response because they deal with common issues that we get more than a few letters on, be it immigration, the war, or social security. However, it is office policy to respond to each fax, telephone call, and mail no matter how dumb the comment. (Believe me there are some dumb ones. If I have learned one thing in my time here, it is that people are stupid.) The more obscure letters get collected for Legislative Correspondent Jeff and the dynamic duo of interns to research and write sometime letter. In the past few days, I have written letters on Iraqi refugees, on how we cannot and should not behead Muslims, and on some railroad being built in Wyoming. So if you dislike your congressperson, do not write them and tell them. Rather, stick it too their staff by writing a letter on some imaginary issue and throw lots of meaningless acronyms in there to utterly confuse the LC.

The makers of the Office tried a new, risky strategy tonight: airing a new episode. You are all shocked, as was I. This seems like good news, but in addition to airing a new episode, they also started it 30 minutes early, causing me to miss all but the last 10. Thus I will have to buy it off iTunes before I can issue the second installment of The Official Office Powerrankings. In better news, Keane was featured on the Srubs soundtrack tonight. I love Keane, despite their lead singer's drug addiction and their lack of shows in Texas. Also, they are playing in DC three weeks after I leave. But I am not bitter. That's all for tonight...

On the fence so not to offend...

Congratulations to Mr. Mark Johnson for correctly naming "City of Blinding Lights" as yesterday's song of the day. Also, I particularly enjoyed his rundown of the Democratic presidential candidates. I do like the standard the John Edwards sets in his personal, family life. He seems to be a stand up guy. His change in retoric is the think that troubles me. But it also exposes a paradox in American politics, namely this issue of sticking to your guns. We chide our politicians, and rightly so, for not admitting their mistakes. President Bush's everlasting chorus of "stay the course" makes him look kinda like an idiot at times. (Some would argue all the time.) At the sime time, we blast politicians who always seem to change their minds to be on the popular side of the public's whims. (A la John Kerry) Is there a set number of times we want someone to admit they are wrong before we label them as a panderer? I would wager the over/under is 2.5 times.

One of the things that I see not infrequently in the Capitol is someone working on the ATM machine, be it maintenance or replenishing the money supply. The thing that makes this noteworthy is the heavy security that goes into opening the ATM. The reason for this may be a long standing bank policy, but the policy does not make sense. Today's ATM was in the basement of Cannon a good two floor and 100 feet from the closest exit. The building in one of the safest in DC because everyone who comes in has to walk through metal detectors and pass their bags through an x-ray machine. Despite all these security measures, the Capitol police still provide at least one, today three, policeman to stand by the ATM with their hands on their firearms, ready for action. This I do not understand.

I know turn my attention to the walking disaster that is the Texas Rangers. It is very, very early in the season, but their first three games do not inspire confidence. It is not just that they lost all three, but how they lost the first three. Their starters have been pathetic. (Millwood was the only one who had a half-decent outing) Their defense has been flat. Their hitting has been non-existent, save for second baseman Ian Kinsler, who has started his sophomore campaign with two homers in three games. The Rangers drew a tough first assignment, opening on the road against a very good Angels team. Angels outfielder Vlad "El Diablo" Guerrero basically owns the boys from Arlington and has an obscene lifetime batting average against them that hovers somewhere about .500 I believe. They do not play tomorrow and then have their home opener Friday against the increasingly hated Boston Red Sox. Hopefully, they can turn things around.

It was raining this morning and is supposed to turn cold tomorrow. The highs are predicted to be in the 40s for the weekend before climbing into the 50s and 60s early next week. Rumor has it that we might get off early on Friday. If we do, I am hoping to go catch "Blades of Glory." Also, the ceiling in the living room/kitchen/laundry room just started leaking. Oh my! That's all for tonight...

Time won't leave me as I am...

Liverpool dominated PSV Eindhoven from start to finish today, notching one goal in the first 45 minutes and two more in the second. Captain Steven Gerrard started the scoring with John Riise and Peter Crouch adding the final brace. I was not able to watch the game even though it was on ESPN 2. Instead, I watched commentary on the computer. It led to what was probably a funny scene, because every time Liverpool scored, I caught myself pumping my fist wildly. While the commentary on the internet is not the same as watching it, but whoever types about the description is pretty funny. Riise's goal was described as sublime. When Liverpool came out of the locker room to start the second half, the commentator wrote that they were "looking to put PSV to the sword." Something about soccer just brings out the dramatic flair in people.

Speaking of dramatic flair, Sir Drinks-a-lot came in tonight with his family and promptly poured out his case of Miller Lite and bottle of gin down the sink. He says he has sworn off alcohol. I wish I believed him, but the cynic in me gives him two weeks before he returns to his old ways. But seriously, I wish him luck in his quest to not be a "pathetic drunk." Unfortunately, I will have to find a new nickname for him.

I realize that in the sometimes political blog I have failed to mention much about the 2008 Presidential Race. The candidates have just filed their fundraising reports, with Hillary taking in the biggest haul. The stormin' Mormon Mitt Romney led all Republicans with a tidy $23 mil. in the first quarter. I have had a lot of people ask me who I like in the upcoming election. (By a lot, I mean like 2 people) At this point in the campaign, I am thoroughly uninspired. I am secretly hoping that all of them come down with a sickness (not fatal or permanently damaging of course) that prevents them from running, and we get a new set of candidates to choose from. I had the greatest hope for Barrack Obama, but thus far I have been very disappointed. He more and more comes off as a partisan wolf masquerading as a bipartisan sheep. I have some fundamental disagreements with him on foreign policy issues. I will say his "I was opposed to the Iraq war from the beginning" is smart, but where do we go forward from there. Also, in every campaign speech of Obama's that I have read or seen, he has used the word audacity. I guess he is trying to build a theme, but I still have not figured out if he is running for president or plugging his book. Hillary is Hillary. I enjoyed the 1984 add and thought it hit the nail right on the head. She seems to just be "phoning it in." Edwards seems to say just what he thinks people want to hear. His retoric is strikingly different from 2004. He might have had a change of heart, but I would wager he just is slumming for votes.

The Republicans make me want to puke and then fill out multiple ballots so I could vote against them several times. Giuliani and Romney are tying to look as conservative as possible, which either makes them flip-floppers or imposters. John McCain puts me to sleep. So all of this is to say, where are the real candidates? Where are the John F. Kennedys and the Ronald Reagans? Is it too much to ask to have a candidate that has a pulse and brain function? I am beginning to think that an American Idol like contest might yield a better end result than our current election system. A side note: when one of the major networks debuts a political reality show, I came up with the idea. You all saw it. So to summarize, somebody wake me up when we figure out how to bring Lincoln or Jefferson back.

Congratulations to Miss Amy Tuegel for correctly naming yesterday's song of the day. I wore a white shirt with black and blue pin stripes and black slacks today. In a soccer note that did not fit in the first paragraph, intramural soccer has started at ACU. In the men's rec division, someone had the audacity to name their team Manchester United, the New York Yankees of the soccer world. I am considering emptying my bank account to fly back to Abilene to boo said intramural team. Chelsea lines up against Valencia tomorrow, so there will probably be more muffled celebration in the Cannon building. That's all for tonight...

A tiger's waiting to be tamed...

Today was the worst tour I have ever given. The reason: it was for New Yorkers. Specifically those New Yorkers who hail from Manhattan. I got loaned out to Rep. Maloney's office to give a tour to a mother and her two high school kids. It was not 5 minutes into the tour when I was thinking about stashing the mother in a deep dark corner of the Capitol and running away as fast as possible. Words cannot describe this woman. She was always correcting me, only her facts were wrong. (ie, Me: The Civil War ended in 1865. Her: No, it was over in 1855) Her kids did not say a word because they were afraid of her. When we got in the line to make it into the Capitol, she wondered why we had to stand in line. Because everyone else wants to get into the Capitol as much as you do and they were here first. That's why. This woman was ridiculous. I am beginning to believe the the hated Yankees merely reflect the population they play before.

The day was not all bad though. Because of the recess, I will get off of work an hour early every day for the next two weeks. That is always nice. Also, since Congress is not in session, I do not have to wear a suit. I wore a button down and khakis today. The weather was a warm 78 today with bright sunshine, which certainly put me in a good mood. The maid came today and cleaned our apartment. Can't complain about that! It is supposed to be warm until the weekend, when DC will suffer a temporary dip into the 40s. Baseball season started today in the District with the Nationals getting throttled by the Florida Marlins 9-2. I am not sure why I enjoy seeing the local teams lose, but I do.

Tomorrow sees the first slate of Champions League quaterfinals matches. I am particularly interested the first leg of the clash between Liverpool and the Dutch hedgemons PSV Eindhoven. I am always been fond on PSV because the town of Eindhoven is featured in Band of Brothers. Having said that, I hope Liverpool absolutely demolishes them. The other game on tap for tomorrow is AC Milan and Bayern Munich. I am picking Bayern in that one because AC Milan has a notorious checkered history of match fixing. In a random note, Sir Drinks-a-lot was not at the bar last night, but rather visiting with his parent who were in town. That's all for tonight...

USSR, DDR

Congratulations and Happy Birthday to my lovely sister Amy Tuegel. She has reached the big 2-0! Also, she won Friday's song of the day. Can it get any better? I submit that I cannot.

I had a great 24 hours in San Antonio. American Airlines tried their best to keep in in the Alamo City longer, but I finally made it safely back to my apartment about 10. Nothing much has changed around here. Sir Drinks-a-lot is still out at the bar, his week old dishes still sit in the sink, and his Maxim still sits on the coffee table. I purchased a Texas Monthly in the airport, so I plunked that down on top to diversify our literary offerings. Last night's Siggie event was grand, and I will be writing more about that in the days to come. A special thanks to the Greens for taking such good care of me the few hours I was in town. It is always a treat to get to go to their house; a treat I always look forward to!

This weekend in sports was a mixed bag. We will start with the bad news. The Phoenix Suns absolutely clobbered the Mavs today. I did not see the game, but I was embarrassed by the score. The results from the soccer world were much better. Liverpool trounced Arsenal, led by a hat trick from the 6'7" Peter Crouch. Chelsea escaped bottom-dwellers Watford on the road. Most importantly, the LaPopular Dragons handled the competition in a rare Sunday fixture. My sources indicate that both Micah and Josiah had superb games and scored multiple goals. Micah knocked a few in because of his impecible positioning, while one of Josiah's goals was an absolute blistering shot off his left foot. In baseball news, the Texas Rangers have their first game of the season on the road in Anahiem tomorrow night. It is on national tv, but does not start until 10:05 p.m. here, so I probably will not be watching all of it. Go Rangers! That's all for tonight...