great cafe

For those conservatives or traditional-minded people (even Constitution Party aficionados and Ron Paul supporters) who dislike Starbucks and Caribou Coffee because of the narcissistic liberalism/Marxism, there's an answer in Northwest Indiana. It's called the Conservative Cafe. Unfortunately for Frum Jews, the food items are not kosher. Maybe someone can contact B&B's Bagels or Bagel Country to provide a similar theme.

Here's the website
http://www.conservativecafe.com

Jewish stuff

1) In my humble opinion, I think that some people who have the time, should try to organize a small singles event in the Chicago area, preferably around Labor Day weekend. I think that there are enough people in West Rogers Park, Lakeview, Evanston and Hyde Park who would benefit from such an event.

2) Insularity in the Jewish world has a price. Yes, limits need to be set on what comes into the home (Television, racy movies, violent movies, etc.). However, just because some people are fortunate enough to do so, doesn't mean that all Jews, or even a quarter of us, are able to do so.
Since Shabat is Rosh Chodesh Av, and it's the Yahrtzeit of Aharon HaCohen (Aaron the High Priest), I think that we should keep this in mind heading into the Nine Days.

Have a shabat shalom.

Josh

Seattle teams, what SHOULD be done

As a Seattle fan (although I may end up rooting more for Chicago teams), I feel that the Mariners should do the following in the next two weeks.
Get rid of, by trade or release, the following players.
Raul Ibanez
Willie Bloomquist
Adrian Beltre
Jose Vidro
Jamie Burke
Jarrod Washburn
Miguel Batista

None of these players will help a championship team, in my humble opinion. All are overvalued to some degree.

Seattle Seahawks

Running Back, Tight End and Kicker are potential trouble spots for this team.
Julius Jones is decent, not great, hopefully he'll be motivated to be the Seahawks' number one running back. We need one of the tight ends to be a safety valve for Matt Hasslebeck, just like Shockey was in New York or Witten is in Dallas.

stuff

1) I am glad that Dave Niehaus was recognized by the Baseball Hall of Fame for his long career and was the recipient of the Ford Frick Award this past weekend. I can't think of a more deserving man for this honor. Next year, Jon Miller of ESPN, San Francisco and Baltimore fame should get it. Here's the text of the speech.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/ABPub/2008/07/27/2008076435.pdf

2) Santo and Hughes are getting worse by the day. Hughes sounds like a know-it-all teacher and Santo is the uncle trying to dance to the Do the Hustle tune. Maybe Bleed Cubbie Blue will provide some insight. www.bleedcubbieblue.com

3) Paul Konerko will likely be gone after this year, IMHO. His bat speed is not what it was and first base is an easy position to replace.

Bears

Why were David Haugh and Dan Pompei of the Chicago Tribune www.chicagotribune.com.
so irritated at Devin Hester holding out? McCaskey/Halas are cheapskates and don't pay stars enough, particularly at the skill positions. Urlacher is a very good linebacker, but you win with quarterbacks in the NFL, not linebackers and defensive tackles.

They could have traded for Donovan McNabb of Philadelphia, but the Bears are so cheap and stuck in the Halas era when QB's made 50 thousand a year.

Curious to hear the reaction of the Windy City Gridiron www.windycitygridiron.com

baseball thoughts and poor columnists

When I mentioned condolences on Tuesday to Chicago baseball fans on the passing of Mr. Jerome Holtzman, I forgot about Bobby Murcer who passed away two weeks ago, right before the All-Star break.

Murcer was a good player, better broadcaster and better human being. I wish there were more Bobby Murcers, I hope that honors his memory.

My five least favorite sports columnists

1) Jay Mariotti, Chicago Sun-Times, why the Sun-Times thinks he's better than Telander is beyond me. Telander isn't loud enough, maybe that's his flaw according to Stu Cink, the editor.

2) Mike Lupica, New York Daily News. A whiny New York-centric pantywaist of a columnist.

3) Bill Plaschke, Los Angeles Times. His pieces of brilliance are featured on one of my favorite websites, www.firejoemorgan.com. Suffice it to say, he loves the old NL way of playing and if he could put together a team, it would have Juan Pierre, Reggie Willits, Willie Bloomquist, David Eckstein and other hustlers and guys with intangibles.

4) Mike Downey, Chicago Tribune. A walking cliche if there ever was one. Also a pro-Obama guy.

5) Bill Conlin, Philadelphia Daily News. Used 1960's logic in defending Rollins' choice as MVP last year over Matt Holliday, who was clearly a better player.

stuff to think about

First of all, Chicago has been blessed with a lot of rain this month and no 100 degree days, unlike other parts of the country. Also, thank G-d, we're nowhere near Hurricane Dolly.

Secondly, the citizens of Cook County HAVE GOT TO THROW OUT STROGER and repeal the sales tax hike. No middle class person can afford to have his or her taxes raised.

For all of the progressives and liberals in Rogers Park and other parts of Chicago, explain to me why tax hikes are good.

time away

Thanks to Facebook and a long and painful fast of the 17th of Tammuz, I have not been blogging.

1) Condolences to the Sun-Times, Tribune and baseball fans in Chicago on the passing of Jerome Holtzman, inventor of the "save" statistic in baseball. While the SABR guys may not have loved him, he was a long time writer and spent a lot of years covering baseball, (also an MOT).

2) Five days until the highlight of the Mariners season, the induction of Dave Niehaus into the Hall of Fame in the Broadcaster's wing. It's pathetic, but consider the alternative, Mariners fans and www.lookoutlanding.com people. Kvetching about Bedard only pitching 4.3 innings because he reached 95 pitches or watching Ibanez hit into another Double play.

3)If there is justice, Israel should not release another prisoner to Lebanon or Hezbollah for at least 10 years. What a black eye for the Jewish people that was. We look like 98-pound weaklings.

4) Also justice to throw out Todd Stroger and any other Chicago do-gooder tax hiker. Spend within your means, not above it.

Josh's First half awards, Baseball

Here are my 2008 MLB awards for the first half of this year.

AL MVP, Someone other than Hamilton, simply because he plays for Texas. Maybe Carlos Quentin or Manny Ramirez.

AL Cy Young: Francisco Rodriguez (aka K-Rod) of the Anaheim Angels. No way should Cliff Lee, a glorified Jamie Moyer win this award on a disappointing Cleveland squad.

AL ROY: Jacoby Ellsbury, I assume he's eligible.

AL MOY (Manager of the Year): Maddon of Tampa, runner-up Gardenhire (AKA Gardy) of Minnesota.

Bust player: EB or Erik Doofus of the Seattle Mariners.

Boom Team: Tampa and Minny

NL MVP: Geovany Soto or Aramis Ramirez of the Cubs. No Phillie deserves this award, because they have won it two years in a row, under some controversy. Maybe David Wright of the Mets if the Mets overtake the Phillies.

NL Cy Young: Lincecum followed by Webb and or Volquez.

NL ROY: Volquez of Cincy

NL MOY: LaRussa, I know Cubs fans don't like him, but the Cardinals are always in contention. Fredi Gonzalez of the Marlins has done a good job as well.

Bust team: Colorado and San Diego, followed by the Mets

Boom Team: Brewers and Marlins

Worst FO (Front-Office) Move: The New York Mets firing Willie Randolph at 3 AM after a win on the West Coast. Whatever Randolph's faults were, and there are enough to dissect, he still should be treated with respect.

Second worst FO Move: Wade and Chacon smackdown/release. Chacon is no angel, but Wade didn't handle it so well.

Underrated move: Hendry getting Edmonds off of San Diego's scrap heap.

One wish: Can MLB invite AJ and Barrett to the ASG and have a tag team with Big Z?

tidbits

1) Can someone in the Chicagoland or Illinois area explain to me why Ron Santo is still the lead analyst on Cubs Radio on WGN Radio AM 720 (www.wgnradio.com). All he does is holler when the Cubs win and groan when they lose.

2) Too many Tex-ASS Rangers on the All-Star team. Yes I know that Young, Kinsler, Bradley and Hamilton are doing well. But I wish to reward team success, not individual success.

Besides I despise the Tex-ASS Rangers, because they never win a darn thing. I wish Seattle would win every game against them. They have a hayseed owner named Tom Hicks who overspent to get A-Rod and then had to trade him.

Speaking of Alex Rodriguez, he is a SELFISH human being because of his decision to opt out of his contract on the last day of the World Series, overshadowing the Red Sox championship. Moreover, he was caught with Madonna, who is 15 years older than him, another intelligent move.

oil Companies

I personally like the Oil Companies. We need them and their ingenuity and creativity in times of spiraling costs of food, clothes, etc.

I challenge any anti-Oil person to a debate on this issue.

baseball thoughts

Since it's July, and in about three weeks, the trading deadline will be here, I wish to offer thoughts on what teams should do to improve themselves, or at least get rid of dead weight.

Seattle: Bad team, fired its manager, general manager and hitting coach. Next week, they need to release Richie Sexson, as Sexson no longer hits for a high enough average to be a MLB-Caliber first baseman or DH (Designated Hitter).
Next is trading Erik Bedard, preferably to a bad team. This guy is the biggest underachiever in the major leagues in a long time. His idea of a good game is 5-6 innings with 1-2 runs and 6-9 strikeouts. He won't pitch more than six innings because he's been trained to think that the starting pitcher is only supposed to last 6 innings or 100 pitches. Also, Raul Ibanez should be dealt to a dumb NL team who thinks that because he has a couple of 100 RBI seasons that he's a "run producer", when his RBI total is a result of his spot in the lineup.

Chicago Cubs: Outfield help (such as Ibanez). Since C.C. Sabathia was traded yesterday to Milwaukee, I don't have to wait for more nonsensical speculation on how coveted he is and how every contender should mortgage its future for three months of his services, before he gets $80 million dollars by Chanukah.

Here's a name that I would recommend, Roy (Doc) Halladay of Toronto. He's pitched in the majors for over ten years, has 121 wins, a Cy Young Award (2003) to his credit, and when healthy, averages 6-7 innings a start, unlike the doofus EB (Erik Bedard). Toronto is a sad franchise in a town that loves hockey, even if its current team stinks, the Toronto Maple Leafs. J.P. Ricciardi, do us lower 48 fans a favor and send Halladay to a real team that will play meaningful games in September and October.

San Francisco Giants: Dump these four overpaid veterans, Randy Winn, Ray Durham, Omar Vizquel and Rich Aurilia.

Cincy: Trade Ken Griffey Junior to a real team and turn the page on Adam Dunn. Better yet, an AL team should take a flyer on Dunn, he could also DH.

Los Angeles Dodgers: Get some offense, don't be afraid to deal your young but unproven players, (Kemp, Loney and Ethier) for some proven talent.

Anaheim (not LA) Angels: Boost your offense. Get someone like Carlos Lee from Houston.

Arizona: Hitters, Dunn, Ibanez, Lee and Willy Mo Pena (Washington) are good ideas. Even Pat Burrell of Philly, the hitter's version of Erik Doofus would be a help.

happy holiday

Well, in less than 48 hours is the Fourth of July. It's a good holiday and a chance to be grateful that we live in a great country.

I am also inspired by people like Jon Will, George's son, who was born with Down's Syndrome, yet lives a productive life and works in the Washington Nationals clubhouse. As a matter of fact, I would suggest to his father (George) that Jon is eminently more qualified to be a general manager or assistant GM than many of the current GM's in Major League Baseball today. Seattle fans will agree with me on this point.

The point is, here's a guy who was dealt a poor deck and has made a decent life for himself.

political stuff

1) Thanks to Todd Stroger and Mayor Daley and Bernie Stone, the sales tax in Chicago is now 10.25%. We need a strong LOCAL opposition party. Otherwise, these clowns will raise sales taxes every two years.

2) My friend's brother, Abe Katsman, wrote two good columns on Barack Obama and John McCain.

http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1204473064711&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FPrinter

http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1214492529435&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FPrinter

Enjoy these columns. I think one of them was linked to Drudge. www.drudgereport.com