GO PHILLIES, GO BLANTON!

"I don't think he's ready for it on three days' rest," I think you're taking a chance on really pushing him."
--Phillies manager Charlie Manuel on why he made the decision to use Joe Blanton instead of Cliff Lee for game 4.

Joe Blanton

" I'm glad I’m not a manager. We don’t think that far in advance. We really want to win [tonight’s] Game 3. After that’s over, we’ll see who’s pitching Game 4."
--Mark Texira, first baseman for the New York Yankees.

Listen up. The bronx bombers won the game on Wednesday night. But the pitching was great by both pitchers, A. J. Burnett and the incomparable Pedro Martinez.38 and a player who has lost a few miles on his fastball, Martinez seems to have gained tons of wisdom on how to pitch. He especially acquitted himself well. He threw 87 and 88 miles an hour fastballs inside and curves and sliders outside. He kept the hitters off balance for 7 innings.

Tonight, it will be a question of whether starter Joe Blanton can keep the Yankees heavy hitters-- Texira, Rodriguez, and Posada-- off balance and therefore unable to hit the ball out of the park. Blanton started Game 4 against Tampa Bay last year and combined with four relievers on a five-hitter in a 10-2 win that gave the Phillies a 3-1 Series lead. He homered off Edwin Jackson in that game, the first Series home run by a pitcher since Oakland's Ken Holtzman in 1974. Blanton was 12-8 with a 4.05 ERA this season.

Another question is whether the bullpen will hold up. Surely, Blanton won't go t00 long. The Yankees have a history of getting to him early.

Go, Phillies!

SCOTT RITTER: "MCCHRYSTAL DOESN'T GET IT. DOES OBAMA?"

"Some, including leaders of the Bush administration, were making the case that the Taliban was directly implicated in the attacks since it had provided al-Qaida with a safe haven to plan the events of 9/11. It had yet to be proved that the Taliban was a witting host, however. As a student of the region, I believed that the United States would do well to use tribal concepts of honor to isolate and disenfranchise bin Laden and his Arab outsiders from their Taliban host. If the United States, working through the offices of the Pakistani intelligence services, could convince the Taliban that its hospitality had been abused by al-Qaida-in that the murder of innocents had been committed while under its protection-then Afghan tribal custom and honor and, even more important to the fundamentalist Taliban, Islamic law, dictated that the Taliban revoke the protections and privileges afforded bin Laden and al-Qaida."
--Scott Ritter

Listen up. The Daddy has told you about Scott Ritter. When he lays it down, you can pick up and take it to the bank. Ritter is a former weapons inspector for the United Nations from 1991 to 1998.

Wilkipedia put it this way: "Ritter is known for his role as a chief United Nations weapons inspector in Iraq from 1991 to 1998, and later for his criticism of United States foreign policy in the Middle East. Prior to the U.S. invasion of Iraq in March 2003, Ritter publicly argued that Iraq possessed no significant weapons of mass destruction (WMDs). He became a popular anti-war figure and talk show commentator as a result of his stance."

Now, Ritter is speaking out against our presence in Afghanistan. Every word he lays down is true, as far as The Daddy is concerned. Check him out:

Posted on Oct 29, 2009

AP / David Guttenfelder

U.S. Marines walk through the sand inside Camp Leatherneck in Afghanistan’s Helmand province

By Scott Ritter

There is a curious phenomenon taking place in the American media at the moment: the lionization of Gen. Stanley McChrystal, the American military commander in Afghanistan. Although he has taken a few lumps for playing politics with the White House, McChrystal has generally been sold to the American public as a “Zen warrior,” a counterinsurgency genius who, if simply left to his own devices, will be able to radically transform the ongoing debacle that is Afghanistan into a noble victory that will rank as one of the greatest political and military triumphs of modern history. McChrystal’s resume and persona (a former commander of America’s special operations forces, a tireless athlete and a scholar) have been breathlessly celebrated in several interviews and articles. Reporters depict him as an ascetic soldier who spouts words of wisdom to rival Confucius, Jesus and Muhammad.

The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff sent Gen. McChrystal to “fix” the war in Afghanistan in the way that his boss, that earlier military prophet Gen. David Petraeus, “fixed” Iraq. Whether by accident or design, McChrystal’s mission became a cause célèbre of sorts for an American media starved for good news, even if entirely fabricated, coming out of Afghanistan. One must remember that the general has accomplished little of note during his short tenure to date as the military commander in Afghanistan. His entire reputation is built around the potential to turn things around in Afghanistan. And to do this, McChrystal has said he needs time, and 40,000-plus additional American troops. There are currently around 68,000 U.S. troops in Afghanistan. McChrystal’s request would raise that number to around 110,000 troops – the same number as the Soviets had deployed in Afghanistan at the height of their failed military adventure some 20 years ago.

McChrystal, or more accurately, his staff, has authored a not-so-secret report that outlines the reasoning behind this massive increase in American military involvement in Afghanistan. Rightly noting that the American-led effort is currently failing, McChrystal argues that only a massive infusion of U.S. troops, and a corresponding “surge” of American civilians, can achieve the stability necessary to transform Afghanistan from the failed state it is today. A viable nation capable of self-government, the new Afghanistan could maintain internal security so that terrorist organizations like al-Qaida will not be able to take root, flourish and once again threaten American security from the sanctuary of a lawless land. This concept certainly looks good on paper and plays well in the editorial section. And why shouldn’t it? It touches on all the romantic notions of America as liberator and defender of the oppressed. The problem is that the assumptions made in the McChrystal report are so far removed from reality as to be ludicrous.

McChrystal operates under the illusion that American military power can provide a shield from behind which Afghanistan can remake itself into a viable modern society. He has deluded himself and others into believing that the people of Afghanistan want to be part of such a grand social experiment, and furthermore that they will tolerate the United States being in charge. The reality of Afghan history, culture and society argue otherwise. The Taliban, once a defeated entity in the months following the initial American military incursion into Afghanistan, are resurgent and growing stronger every day. The principle source of the Taliban’s popularity is the resentment of the Afghan people toward the American occupation and the corrupt proxy government of Hamid Karzai. There is nothing an additional 40,000 American troops will be able to do to change that basic equation. The Soviets tried and failed. They deployed 110,000 troops, operating on less restrictive lines of communication and logistical supply than the United States. They built an Afghan army of some 45,000 troops. They operated without the constraints of American rules of engagement. They slaughtered around a million Afghans. And they lost, for the simple reason that the people of Afghanistan did not want them, or their Afghan proxies.

To read the full article, click here:

GO PHILLIES! GO PEDRO MARTINEZ!

"You've got to go out there and think you're going to get everybody out, and think you can. I definitely do that. I try not to go over the edge and rub things in and be cocky, but I definitely have confidence, there's no doubt about that." --Cliff Lee , Philly hurler who won first games of the series for the Philadelphia Phillies

Listen up. The folks in Las Vegas say the talented but over-paid New York Yankees will defeat the Philadelphia Phillies and win the 2009 world series. Well, they may, but Philly ace Cliff Lee defeated the big bad Yankees 6-1 in the first game of the series last night. Responding to a reporter's suggestion that Philly ace Lee upstaged his ace C.C. Sabathia, New York's manager Joe Girardi said, "One thing is he can't pitch every day." This was an indirect way of saying the highly-paid Yankees can't beat Lee, who may pitch game 4 of the series.

Meanwhile, the Yankees are confident that they can beat Philly's second starter Pedro Martinez, who, at age 38, has seen his fast ball slow from a blazing 95 miles hour to an 87 miles per hour crawl. But Martinez, who loves the spotlight, believes he can help his team by pinpointing his fast ball inside and throwing curves and sliders at different speeds outside to keep the bronx boys off balance and off the bases.

Listen, The Daddy admits that he hates the Yankees ownership and management, guys with deep pockets and egos the size of Mount Everest, guys who consistently buy off the best players on the market, leaving the teams in smaller markets like Milwaukee, Pittsburgh and Minnesota to sulk and cry like a baby lying in a fetal position wailing for his momma.

How arrogant and egotistical are they? So arrogant and egotistical that they believe that they should be in the world series every year. So arrogant and egotistical that they believe that, if they don't win the world series each year, then the entire baseball season was a failure.

Above all else, the Yankee's deep pockets (which makes professional baseball unequal and unjust) and their unrepentant arrogance is why a brotha is hoping that Martinez will hold down the Yankees for six innings, the Phillie's relievers will quiet their bats the rest of the way, and long ball hitters Jayson Werth, Chase Utley and Ryan Howard will blast a few long ones, giving the people from the city of brotherly love a reason to hug and cheer again.

But whatever happens tonight, the Phillies have assured themselves of winning at least once and taken over the home-field advantage. And remember: in the last 2 years the Phillies are 11-1 at home in the postseason.

Go Phillies! Go Pedro Martinez!

THE WISDOM OF GEORGE CARLIN: : ON AGING, ENJOY THE RIDE. THERE IS NO RETURN TICKET

Listen up. The Daddy received an email the other day from a friend. In it she said only, "Love this guy!" And just those few words reminded a brotha of how much he loved George Carlin's wit and wisdom too. So The Daddy thought he would post one of Carlin's funniest and wisest pieces. Check it out:

On Aging - Enjoy the ride.
There is no return ticket

by George Carlin

Do you realize that the only time in our lives when we like to get old
is when we're kids? If you're less than 10 years old, you're so
excited about aging that you think in fractions.

'How old are you?' 'I'm four and a half!' You're never thirty-six and
a half. You're four and a half, going on five! That's the key..

You get into your teens, now they can't hold you back. You jump to the
next number, or even a few ahead.

'How old are you?' 'I'm gonna be 16!' You could be 13, but hey, you're
gonna be 16! And then the greatest day of your life ! You become 21.
Even the words sound like a ceremony.YOU BECOME 21. YESSSS!!!

But then you turn 30. Oooohh, what happened there? Makes you sound
like bad milk! He TURNED; we had to throw him out. There's no fun now,
you're Just a sour-dumpling.. What's wrong? What's changed?

You BECOME 21, you TURN 30, then you're PUSHING 40. Whoa! Put on the
brakes, it's all slipping away. Before you know it, you REACH 50 and
your dreams are gone...

But! wait!! ! You MAKE it to 60. You didn't think you would!

So you BECOME 21, TURN 30,  PUSH 40, REACH 50 and make it to 60.

You've built up so much speed that you HIT 70! After that it's a
day-by-day thing; you HIT Wednesday!

You get into your 80's and every day is a complete cycle; you HIT
lunch; you TURN 4:30; you REACH bedtime. And it doesn't end there.
Into the 90s, you start going backwards; 'I Was JUST  92.'

Then a strange thing happens. If you make it over 100, you become a
little kid again. 'I'm 100 and a half!'
May you all make it to a healthy 100 and a half!!

HOW TO STAY YOUNG


1. Throw out nonessential numbers. This includes age, weight and
height. Let the doctors worry about them. That is why you pay them.

2. Keep only cheerful friends. The grouches pull you down.

3.Keep learning.  Learn more about the computer, crafts, gardening,
whatever, even ham radio.. Never let the brain idle.. 'An idle mind is
the devil's workshop.' And the devil's  family name is  Alzheimer's.

4. Enjoy the simple things.

5. Laugh often, long and loud. Laugh until you gasp for breath.

6.... The tears happen. Endure, grieve, and move on. The only person,
who is with us our entire life, is ourselves. Be ALIVE while you are
alive.

7. Surround yourself with what you love , whether it's family, pets,
keepsakes, music, plants, hobbies, whatever.Your home is your refuge.

8. Cherish your health: If it is good, preserve it. If it is unstable,
improve it.. If it is beyond what you can improve, get help.

9. Don't take guilt trips.. Take a trip to the mall, even to the next
county; to a foreign country but NOT to where the guilt is.

10. Tell the people you love that you love them, at every opportunity..

AND ALWAYS REMEMBER:
Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the
moments that take our breath away.

And if you don't send this to at least 8 people - who cares?   But do
share this with someone. We all need to live life to its fullest each
day!!

Life's journey is not to
arrive at the grave safely
in a well preserved body,
but rather to skid in sideways,
totally worn out, shouting
'..holy sh*t ....what a ride!'

Do you remember George Carlin, the funny comedian filled with so much wisdom?

GO PHILLIES!!!

“Philly fans are great. Everybody complains about them being the meanest. That may be true. But, at the same time, they're great because it does get you into the game...They love their teams. I can respect that about them. They know their sports and they love their teams and they come out and support them every week, good or bad."
--Michael Strahan, former standout defensive for the New York Giants

Listen up. The Daddy is feeling the Philadelphia Phillie's, the present world champions of major league bill, the team that represents the 2009 season against the American league's representative, the New York Yankees.

The Daddy loves these guys! Why? First, they are very talented. Second, they can beat you in so many different ways. It's like, "How do you want your ass-kicking tonight? Jimmie Rollins racing around the bases, smashing into your catcher, running your team into the ground or Ryan Howard and Jayson Werth getting it over quickly with high, deep blasts into the stands?" But you wanna know the real reason a brotha is pulling for the Phillie's? Here it is:

The Daddy hates the Yankees! In fact, The Daddy hates the Yankees with a passion normally reserved for gang rapists, crooked, skirt-chasing minister and priests who play with little boys.

* The New York Yankees, with a team owner about nothing more than making money and massaging and showcasing a huge ego.

So, when a players is not playing up to what he feels is his potential, he does what manager or owner never should do: he calls him out in public, undresses him for the world to see. This is both George Steinbrenner and his son.

* The New York Yankees, a team that represents the one basic thing that's wrong with major league baseball: financial inequity. The New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox simply use their ton loads of ready cash to jump over small markets team like the Milwaukee Brewers and Minnesota Twins and buy the best players on the market, leaving smaller clubs to go down swinging each year.

Unlike the rich, arrogant Yankees, the Phillie's have class. They play hard; they play smart; And rarely do you hear the owner, manager or player blast another team member or call a team player out in public. For example, when their closer Brad Lidge was struggling, tossing fastballs to players who hit em out of the park causing the Phillies to lose, both management and the players stuck by him, saying confident they were the old Brad Lidge would come back.

The Philadelphia Phillies are en experienced, talented and classy team. And so, like Moses, The Daddy is gonna climb to the highest mountaintop and then shout down to the hordes of unwashed masses below:

GO PHILLIES! GO PHILLIES! GO PHILLIES!

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE: THERE IS HELP FOR YOU

Listen up. The Daddy is concluding this series on domestic violence, but he is not finishing his work on this issue. From time to time, a brotha will write about this issue on this blog. It's too important to do otherwise.

Meanwhile, remember that there are resources for you, if you need help. Besides agencies in your local community, you can start by calling domestic violence hotlines. These are people trained to deal with domestic violence issues. They are very understanding and sympathetic. Here are a few:

1. If you or someone you know is feeling fearful about what's going on in your relationship, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1−800−799−SAFE (7233) or TTY 1−800−787−3224.

2. If you suspect abuse in your daughter's relationship with her boyfriend, go to the National Violence Resource Center to get further information.

3. Regarding suspected abuse or violence in teen dating, check out the national teen hotline: Call the National Teen Dating Abuse Helpline at 1-866-331-9474, available 24/7 (1-866-331-8453 for the hearing impaired).

Conclusion

Domestic violence is a very complex issues. It involves culture, the way men and women were raised to interact with each other. It includes politics, the fact that men have constructed laws so that they can maintain control over women. And it also involves how people in society are reared to deal with problems. Too many Americans, men especially, have been conditioned to resolve problems through conflict. Some men have worked through this issue and no subscribe to this way of resolving problems. Others steadfastly refuse to change.

Because issues surrounding domestic violence are so deeply embedded in our culture, politics and individual construct, domestic violence will be with us for a long time. That's why it's important for parents to be armed with knowledge about domestic violence, including potential teen violence. The information is there. Parents just have to make the time to use it. Hopefully, this series helped.

This series concludes with two things: The teenage bill of rights and a list of things people can do to bring greater awareness to domestic violence by Love Is Respect.org, especially during Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

Dating Bill of Rights

I have a right to: Ask for a date Refuse a date Suggest activities Refuse any activities, even if my date is excited about them Have my own feelings and be able to express them Say, "I think my friend is wrong and his actions are inappropriate" Tell someone not to interrupt me Have my limits and values respected Tell my partner when I need affection Refuse affection Be heard Refuse to lend money Refuse sex any time, for any reason Have friends and space aside from my partner

I have the responsibility to: Determine my limits and values Respect the limits of others Communicate clearly and honestly Not violate the limits of others Ask for help when I need it Be considerate Check my actions and decisions to determine whether they are good or bad for me Set high goals for myself

Some great ideas to make people aware of Domestic Violence

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month and there are a ton of ways you can support the cause. We put together a list of cool things you can do this month to help spread awareness.

• Put a purple ribbon up as your facebook/twitter/myspace profile pic to show your support for ending domestic violence.
• Post a link on your profiles to www.loveisrespect.org to spread healthy dating awareness and let your friends know about the awesome resources we have if they ever need help.
• Send anti-dating violence awareness mass texts to your friends.
• Organize an anti-dating violence rally at your school.
• Submit an article on teen dating violence awareness to your school newspaper.
• Write a letter to get a Teen Dating Abuse curriculum in your school; Dosomething.org has great info on the steps you need to take.
• Create an anti-dating violence PSA and post it to your YouTube account.
• Print out our Teen Dating Bill of Rights and post it around school (with permission from school officials).
• Print out our quiz cards and hand them out at local events.
• Create a LOVE Mashup and send it to your friends to promote healthy dating habits.
• Create a project for It’s Time to Talk Day. DoSomething.org is offering $250 Grants for your projects. Click here for more info.
• -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

* Note: photo is from the blog stayteen.org

VIOLENCE: TEEN DATING

Listen up. Because it's Domestic Violence Awareness Month, The Daddy has been posting articles to provide parents and teens more information and resources on this issue. The Daddy found this wonderful site on teen dating It's called "What's your relationship reality?" It provides facts about teen dating, it gives warning signs of abuse, and it advises girls to share with their friends about abuse. Don't sweep abuse under the carpet. Check it out.

DATING VIOLENCE: SOME FACTS

• 1 in 5 teens who have been in a serious relationship report being hit, slapped or pushed by a partner.
• One-third of teen girls say they have been concerned about being physically hurt by their partner.
• In an abusive relationship, one person typically uses POWER and CONTROL to gain the upper hand physically, emotionally, and/or sexually over their partner.
• One-quarter of teens who have been in serious relationships say their boyfriend has tried to prevent them from spending time with friends or family.
• Nearly 1 in 4 girls who have been in a relationship (23%) reported going further sexually than they wanted as a result of pressure.
• Learning healthy relationship skills greatly reduces your risk of violence with other teens.

KNOW THE EARLY WARNING SIGNS

Not sure if you are in an unhealthy relationship? Take a step back and ask yourself: Does your boyfriend or girlfriend...

• Pressure you to make the relationship very serious or have sex early in the relationship?
• Act jealous or possessive?
• Try to control where you go, what you wear, or what you do?
• Text or IM you constantly?
• Refuse to consider your point of view or desires?
• Keep you from talking to or spending time with close friends or family?
• Drink too much or use drugs and then blame the alcohol and drugs for his/her behavior?
• Threaten to hurt you or themselves if you leave them?

If your boyfriend/girlfriend has said or done something that seemed like a red flag, it probably was. It could become, or may already be, abusive. Always remember: You have every right to say no! No boyfriend or girlfriend has the right to treat you with anything other than respect.

WATCH FOR FRIENDS WHO ARE BEING ABUSED

In some cases, teens feel more comfortable confiding in a friend than they would with a parent or other adult. However, it's not always easy for them to come to you. So if you suspect that they are in an abusive relationship, here are some things to consider. Does your friend...

• Constantly cancel plans for reasons that don't sound true?
• Always worry about making their boyfriend/girlfriend angry?
• Give up things that are important?
• Show signs of physical abuse, like bruises or cuts?
• Have a boyfriend/girlfriend that wants them to be available all the time?
• Become isolated from friends or family?

If you think a friend might be in an abusive relationship, try taking an indirect approach to help them open up. Here are some suggestions:

• "You don't seem as happy as usual -- are you okay?"
• "Is there anything you want to talk about?"

But if you think your friend is in serious danger, tell an adult you trust immediately. Do not try to handle the situation on your own.

For more information, check out the National Teen Dating Abuse Helpline webpage at www.loveisrespect.org.

Also be sure to check out the rest of our What's Your Relationship Reality? section for information on healthy relationships.

ANOTHER GOOD RESOURCE

Another site on teen dating The Daddy found to be helpful was the Alabama Coalition Against Domestic Violence (ACADA). In plain terms, it talks about how teen violence is often hidden, often has to do with the way teenagers see each other, how young boys may believe that they have the responsibility of controlling the relationship, early warning signs of abuse. There is plenty info for dealing with teen violence on this site: Check this one out.

DATING VIOLENCE

Teenagers often experience violence in dating relationships. Statistics show that one in three teenagers has experienced violence in a dating relationship. In dating violence, one partner tries to maintain power and control over the other through abuse. Dating violence crosses all racial, economic and social lines. Most victims are young women, who are also at greater risk for serious injury. Young women need a dating safety plan.

This site also contains a "Bill of Rights" for teens:

Dating Bill of Rights

I have a right to: Ask for a date Refuse a date Suggest activities Refuse any activities, even if my date is excited about them Have my own feelings and be able to express them Say, "I think my friend is wrong and his actions are inappropriate" Tell someone not to interrupt me Have my limits and values respected Tell my partner when I need affection Refuse affection Be heard Refuse to lend money Refuse sex any time, for any reason Have friends and space aside from my partner

I have the responsibility to: Determine my limits and values Respect the limits of others Communicate clearly and honestly Not violate the limits of others Ask for help when I need it Be considerate Check my actions and decisions to determine whether they are good or bad for me Set high goals for myself

From the Domestic Violence Advocacy Program of Family Resources, Inc.