WHAT HAPPENS IF YOU SWALLOW A CHEWABLE ASPIRIN?

The answer to this and the other VERY IMPORTANT issues of the day will be yours, dear reader, if you tag along for the ride.

If you watch too much of Charlie Rose, then you know its all but over for Obama. The talking heads on that show (which is fairly middle of the road if not a tad liberal as opposed to Fox) regularly stomp all over the Prez and cannot see any way for him to win. I am beginning to make a conscious effort to avoid the show. Plus I keep hoping that the Prez and his boys (and they are mainly boys) know more than the talking heads. But I have an uneasy feeling about the whole deal.I did hear something interesting on the show however. This discussion was about the difference between the Tea Party folks and the Occupy folks since much of their language is very similar. This one guy (name naturally forgotten)more or less said that the Tea Party people are playing on people's fears while the occupy folks are playing on their hopes. I'm not sure about that.

Aw shucks, we won't have Governor Christie to kick around anymore --although some of you live in NJ and get to kick him around fairly regularly. I do get what people like about him--he is in your face with direct answers that I happen not to like but at least are not dances around the floor. His video singing Born to Run was enough, however, to make me puke. But we do have Mr. 9-9-9 Herman (the Munster) Cain and we can only hope we have a race between 2 African Americans. Cain is certifiable and in the same diagnostic category as Michelle. I wish that he is nominated. The two most dangerous ones are Perry and Romney. Both are suave and slick in a political kind of way. We can only hope that the right wing Republican fanatics will struggle to reconcile Perry's rigid fundamentalism with Romney's more moderate Mormonism. But don't be fooled, they both appeal to the worst instincts of mankind. OY--and Anna is moving to Perry's state.

I do love that fantabulous capitalist Warren Buffet--told Rupert what he pays in taxes and asked Rupert to do the same. No deal. Plus he thinks he should pay more taxes and has arranged for his inheritance to go to the Gates Foundation. If you have not heard him, try to. Next to Jon Stewart, he is the best commentator on what is going on--and he has none of the writers Stewart has. By the way, Stewart was on vacation last week and last night said he was gone because he was preparing his Sukkah--an inside Jewish joke on TV. But there was a relatively minor Jewish holiday last week and Stewart typically id'd it and in the process continues to id himself as a member of the tribe.

Beside creating City Year, which is important and good, does Alan Khazei have a job or has he done anything since then except come up with ideas kind of like Chris gabrielli? As you know, I love Elizabeth Warren and she actually has a job (albeit at HAHVAD)and actually did something in Washington. On the other hand, I have been trying to volunteer for her campaign and they simply do not return emails. Makes me wonder.

Is it ok to kill American citizens with drones (or with anything) in a foreign country when we know they are terrorists? I need to consult with an ethicist on that one but it should raise some questions for all of us. Plus these drones are all over the place in the Middle East (and Pakistan/Afghanistan) and are so coldly surgical, its almost like a video game that no one thinks twice about playing.

So the Republicans killed the jobs bill--what else is new? Nothing will get by them between now and the election. I only hope their intransigence will not play well but I worry that Herman's simple solutions and the desire for them will dominate even if Herman does not.

SPORTS

Well, at least as far as we know AJ Burnett was not drinking beer in the clubhouse. I think the Sox and Yanks should package Lackey and Burnett together and make some deal with someone agreeing to eat salaries. Maybe some foolish club will take both on if they are free. The Yanks shoulda and coulda but did not because they did not have starting pitching and because ARod and Texeira choked. I would put ARod in that package by the way. Let Nunez play and get rid of ARod. He was pathetic and anyone who chews gums and seeds at the same time deserves to be kicked to the curb.

I'm thinking Theo will be better off personally in Chicago--maybe even have a life. Bigger city, more things than baseball on people's minds,and the Mid West is different/people are nicer and less frenetic. If any of you have heard/seen either Felger, Shaughnessy, or both (Dan is frequently a guest on Felger's TV show) they are venomous/ugly know it alls. They want to be the MANAGER but not really because then they could not do what they do now. Which is second guess everything and everyone with malice aforethought.

Mr. Brady had "a mediocre" day against those dastardly Cowboys Sunday. Mediocre meaning they won the game in the last 20 seconds as he completed 8 of 9 passes and threw for 289. But all the yakkers wanted to know was why Rex's bro has stymied him. Come on, the game was won. Enough.

Of note: Tom Verducci is rapidly ascending my "who can replace Peter Gammons as the best on air baseball person" ladder. He is just terrific. Second, I just finished(or nearly finished) this 700 page book about ESPN (called These Guys Have All the Fun). Two comments about it: Gammons comes off as a major prima donna and this characterization takes the shine off his apple. Ditto for Olberman who is less a prima donna than a prince. A terrific book nonetheless.

And then there is this: Anna leaves this coming Monday. We will see her Sunday in NYC for a farewell family brunch. Cannot hardly discuss it but I remember when Jessica left for Germany--Barbara wisely said two things. It is an adventure for her and we will just have to visit often. While I agree, it does not make it easy.

I still have no answer to the chewable conundrum.

Sayonara