What I'm Reading 3.29; Baseball, Bombings, Barack and Baby Squirrels

Here I go again, more or less on my own; in seek of the ever-present career which has eluded me up to this point.

About a month ago a longtime friend (can you call someone you've known for 2 years a longtime friend?) let me into a secret about some potential part-time work at a newspaper. Yeah, that's right, those paper things people used to buy and read and gain insight into the world around them.

But, in my state; featured as the epitome for a lack-of-motivation and what not to do video, I brushed it off, only to come back to it now.

So tomorrow I'm beginning my journalistic journey anew at The Star Press in Muncie, working part-time and doing freelance. I'm excited and hope this is a breath of fresh air into a career path that, so far, has been a bit, so to speak; lacking.

Baseball is one week away and I know I'm excited how about you? The beloved Reds are looking fresh and young; something to embrace but who is this guy? President Barack Obama will throw out the first pitch opening day for the Nationals; at least they have something to get animated about in D.C.

An apparent suicide bomber killed 38 in a Moscow subway; it is unclear who is responsible at this hour.

A police-car-biting dog has to take obedience classes in a town I was in yesterday: Chattanooga.

Here is an interesting timeline of media layoffs; thanks C. Trent.

WSJ.com offers good insight into the benefits and costs of the health-care overhaul.

Ten stories 'you' should know about this years Final Four in Indianapolis. While we are the pinnacle of March Madness; how about those Butler Bulldogs?! Several Bulldog fans lined up for tickets this morning. Kravitz has a good take on the Bulldog's story.

And, last but certainly not least: a poodle plays foster mom to baby squirrels in N. Carolina.

What I'm Reading 11.17

Beginning my day I always scan the headlines to see what has happened - overnight or abroad.

My most read sources for all types of information include:

MSNBC.com - U.S. and world news
WSJ.com - U.S. and world news
NPR.com - Hourly news summaries and world news
Telegraph.co.uk - Daily Telegraph, London newspaper site for UK and London news
BBC.com - World news
Pal-Item.com - Local News
Thestarpress.com - Muncie local news
ESPN.com
Cnn.com
Redlegnation.com - Cincinnati Reds news and comment
The Lot D - C. Trent Rosecrans Cincinnati sports blog
mlbtraderumors.com - baseball transaction news site

And that is just in one sitting. I often look at all types of sources for news but do not rely much on the information of blogs unless it is a blog that has broken a huge story.

Considering that:

Today I awoke to see that Barack Obama may have to give up his trusty BlackBerry.

And speaking of president-elect Obama, Catholics may have to repent if they voted for him.

The Onion reports the Obama win may have caused a massive void in Obama's most ardent supporters.

The Washington Post takes a look at The Onion and how it came to be what it is.

The Chicago Tribune takes a look at the revival of live albums. I don't know, I've never been a huge fan, but there are a couple I have listened to religiously. Thanks to C. Trent for the heads up. This one, this one and this one I have listened to a lot.

Albert Pujols won the NL MVP. He deserved it hands down. I'm surprised Kosuke Fukodome didn't win though.

Christmas is just around the corner and I will place a few gift ideas in each post - for me or for people you want to actually buy gifts for, if there is such a thing. Like this one.

Mr. Bill, the former SNL turned commercial character might make a good gift.

I just found this story after reading some about The Troubles in Belfast, Northern Ireland and throughout the UK.

All Star Snubs

I know, i know more baseball news but it has to be said.

The MLB All Star game went to a fan voting process a few years ago to give YOU and I more say in the process. In that time the All-Star balloting has become a popularity contest with the largest markets putting their players on the teams, while leaving out the best players at certain key positions.

This year brought the idiocy and hypocrisy to the forefront. NY, Chicago and Boston teams fill up the lineups yet only the Cubs are in first place. And while the Cubs are in first place their fans decided to vote for two of their outfielders that: A. are blatantly not the best at their positions in terms of hitting and B. not good defensively. Teamed with Ryan "I don't know what position I'm playing" Braun in LF, this should make for a 3 stooges episode reincarnation of an National League outfield.

And while we're on the topic of the CUBS it is interesting how the bias stretched to perhaps the most important position in baseball, seeing that Geovanny Soto will start over Atlanta's Brian McCann, the best catcher in the NL, and heads and shoulders better defensively than Soto. Amazing.

And in light of another blown save by Kerry Wood, what does Clint Hurdle do? He invites Wood to the All-Star game, and why not all his buddies are their including Aramis Ramirez, another knuckle-headed defensive baseball player who in his time would struggle to get weak grounders to first with a fish net and rocket launcher.

But again the Cubs sit in a large market, are in first place (for the time being), are shown on ESPN every week when the BoSox aren't on, and have A LOT of knuckle-headed fans pulling for them; ones that dismiss 100 years of history to act like buffoons at on the road any ballpark they see fit whenever their beloved-overpriced-early-season-wonder-of-a-team rolls in, only to have their brains beat out most of the time. (i.e. 20-26 on the road)

I will not rant about the American league because I don't care if they win. But for the most part they got at least their OF right. And they have better players to choose from and they actually have most of them starting at their respective positions.

NL lineup for 2008 All-Star Game

C	Geovany Soto, CHC
1B	Lance Berkman, HOU	S/L
2B	Chase Utley, PHI	L/R
SS	Hanley Ramirez, FLA	R/R
3B	Chipper Jones, ATL	S/R
OF	Ryan Braun, MIL	R/R
OF	Kosuke Fukudome, CHC	L/R
OF	Alfonso Soriano, CHC	R/R

My Lineup would be:

C	Brian McCann, ATL	S/R
1B	Lance Berkman, HOU	S/L
2B	Chase Utley, PHI	L/R
SS	Hanley Ramirez, FLA	R/R
3B	Chipper Jones, ATL	S/R
OF	Ryan Braun, MIL	R/R
OF	Ryan Ludwick, St.L	L/R
OF	Matt Holiday, COL.	R/R

The subs are a joke as well but I don't even want to get into it because I'm fed up with it. All Star voting should not be in the hands of the fans.

And before you say it, I am not mad that only one Red made it to the All-Star team, I could care less. However Brandon Phillips is much better than at least 5 of the 2b's who received more votes in the NL, including Mark DeRosa. You've got to be kidding me.

Spring Training

Here are a few video's giving somewhat of an update on spring training.

Dusty Baker on the state of the Reds, so far.

Ken Griffey on his spring, so far.

And, this other guy people are excited about, for some reason or another.

From my seat, I am happy with the spring so far, and you should be too. That is unless you aren't a Reds fan, because I see bigger things for this team this year. You can't deny the young talent that is emerging.

More to come. . .