Pfeiffersite Annual Update

Every year at about the same time (late spring/early summer) I get the itch to update my website.  Each year typically brings increased content and a new look, and I catch up on the photos I haven't posted in a long time.  This update is no exception.  I've applied a new theme (which I may or may not keep) and I've added photo albums for recent trips to Great Falls National Park and Billing World in Las Vegas.  But I've also made two other major changes to the site this time around.  Both are intended to improve the content of the page, as well as the chances of me updating that content on a regular basis:  1) I am no longer hosting the photos in my albums.  Those who maintain web sites know how burdensome this can become with many albums.  So I have created photo albums using Picasa and my photo page now links to those albums.  Please let me know if there are any problems accessing the Picasa albums.  2) Verbal Currency, which was previously a blog hosted on Pfeiffersite, is now Pfeiffersite.  Anyone with interest in this site will probably appreciate the prominent placement of my blog, instead of a home page with infrequently updated album links.  

I've removed my bio for the moment, but I'll be updating it in the near future.  In addition, I'm revisiting the content of my "interests" page.  So additional changes to the format of the site will be forthcoming.  But in the meantime, I'm going to try and stay on the blog content.  

Television Favorites: To Bail or Not to Bail?

In the past month, I've grown tired of many of the shows that I've started watching regularly over the past couple of years.  I hate using the term "jumped the shark," because many of these shows are relatively new.  Can a show be any good and still "jump the shark" in the span of just one or two seasons?  I think so.  But it could be that the novelty of a new premise masked weak writing and acting.  For example:

-"Eleventh Hour" started quietly as a darker, more serious alternative to "Fringe."  Rufus Sewell is an odd, but appealing choice for the role of Dr. Jacob Hood in this CBS rehash of the British original.  And Marley Shelton (aka Wendy Peffercorn in "The Sandlot), is multiple levels of hotness above Anna Norv on "Fringe."  But the serious tone of the show is killing it now that the writers have had to stretch the boundaries of plausible science to come up with new dilemmas for Hood and Rachel.  Sewell's patronizing scientific explanations and Shelton's delivery of obvious questions to set up those explanations are repetitive and painful.  The addition of Omar Benson Lee as Felix was a welcome change, but it came too late.  I removed "Eleventh Hour" from my DVR recording list this week.  

So far, Eleventh Hour is only the first victim of permanent banishment from the DVR.  But there are a number of other shows that are on the chopping block.  In no particular order, they are:

-"Chuck."  Here's a show going nowhere fast.  I was turned on to "Chuck" by a co-worker after the first season.  I caught up on iTunes and was really looking forward to season 2.  But so far, season 2 has been all about preserving the status quo.  Will Chuck and Sarah hook up?  Will Chuck man up and find a real job/apartment/grown-up friend?  Is Chuck doomed to be the Intersect forever?  The Fulcrum plot seems unimportant compared to the character development the audience really wants.  I'm giving "Chuck" a few more episodes to get the story moving, or else.

-"Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles."  Only weeks away from being forever jettisoned from the DVR, T:TSCC scored HUGE points Friday night when Jesse did fans a favor and blew away Riley after a wicked catfight.  And fanboys everywhere said "thank you."  How long was the audience really supposed to believe that the future leader of mankind would settle for someone so aesthetically challenged when the family's pet cyborg is closer to a 10?  

The show also seems to have moved on from the "check out how crazy Sarah is" plot line, which is a big plus.  My only concern is that the Weaver/Ellison/John Henry (formerly Cromartie) story will take over future episodes.  T:TSCC is at its best when it focuses on John's evolution and his relationships with Sarah and Cameron.  The producers need to tone down the happenings at ZeiraCorp to keep viewers interested.

-"Lie to Me."  The premise was interesting.  Tim Roth on TV was cool.  The first episode was a lot of fun.  Man did that get old fast.  The focus on the practice of lie detection that made the first episode fun to watch has been eschewed in favor of a standard police procedural.  Next.

-"Heroes."  Many fans have already fled, but I'm hanging in there.  For now.  Sylar's daddy issues and the prospect of learning more about the real HRG have kept me coming back in recent weeks.  But the show needs to shake things up and I humbly submit the two following suggestions: 1.)Whack Nathan Petrelli.  The Senator has flip-flopped and double-crossed SO many times that his character has become devoid of any real meaning.  This guy needs his wings clipped.  2.) Give Hiro his damn powers back.  Hiro is obnoxious enough when he can teleport and freeze time.  Take away the powers and he's even worse.  Remember badass Hiro on the subway in season 1?  I know a lot of folks have said that the timeline has altered and that cool, future Hiro is gone.  But can't we move in that direction anyway?   

-"The Office."  I know, sacrilege.  But it's gotten to the point that I tend to fast forward through any extended scene involving Michael.  It's not funny any more.  It's painful.  The goings-on at Dunder Mifflin have become increasingly implausible and one of the show's biggest strengths is that it allows cubicle drones across the country to relate.  Time to get back to reality and refocus.

A-Roid Speaks

And I really wish he wouldn't.  Following allegations that Alex Rodriguez had tested positive for steroids during his 2003 MVP season, A-Rod "came clean" in an interview with Peter Gammons.  I have long been a proponent of harsh punishment for those individuals in any sport who engage in the use of banned performance enhancing drugs.  I am so disgusted with athletes getting busted for 'roid use and then apologizing profusely on prime time.  Where was the regret when A-Rod was picking up his MVP trophy in 2003?  Let's be clear, for most of these athletes, their use of  banned substances translated into millions of dollars in performance bonuses and free agency leverage.  I guarantee that juiced players aren't sorry about that.  In A-Rod's case, he's not even sorry he got caught.  Because the agency doing the testing was the user-friendly MLB Player's Association.  None of these athletes are feeling any remorse until proof of their doping goes public.  And are they sorry they've lost the respect of their fans?  Nope.  They're sorry they've lost the $$ from their sponsors.  

It's ridiculous that someone out there has the names of another 103 players, each earning a ridiculous salary, who cheated.  Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Mark McGwire, Andy Pettitte, Alex Rodriguez and every other one of the as-yet-unnamed 103 dopers should be permanently barred from the hall of fame and have their records deleted.  There is simply no room in professional athletics for admitted cheaters, who only come clean when their misdeeds have finally landed them before the court of public opinion.

The belated apologies and lame excuses only serve to make the admissions even more infuriating.  When I was coaching novice rowers at RIT, I told them that they would all screw up at some point in the season.  They would oversleep, miss a workout, forget to pick up a teammate before practice, etc.  I didn't care why they screwed up and neither would their boat mates.  What was important was that they decided to man up, admit their mistake, accept the punishment, and avoid repeating the same screw-up in the future.  I didn't accept excuses.  All I wanted to hear was, "Coach, I f**ked up."  I would like to recommend a similar policy for professional athletes.  At this point, no one cares why you cheated.  We know it was the money.  The only shot at redemption is coming clean before SI or ESPN forces the issue.

100-0 Blame Game

On January 13th, the girls varsity basketball team at the Covenant School of Dallas put a 100-0 beat down on the ladies of the Dallas Academy.  The story has received national attention since then, and things got heated again over the weekend when Covenant fired coach Micah Grimes.  Sports personalities across the country have taken the path of least resistance and blasted Grimes for the spectacle (check out the Mike & Mike video accompanying the ESPN story for some truly self-righteous indignation), but several other parties have apparently been given a pass:

• The Covenant players.  I just checked the roster on the Covenant School website and it includes 1 senior and 3 juniors out of eight players.  I'm guessing at least one of those four girls has been playing ball long enough to know what good sportsmanship means.  I'm guessing any one of those four girls could have stopped this at any time by running out the shot clock, not going for an easy steal, and not attempting to drain 3's for the entire game.  I'm guessing that one of those four girls wishes she had the chance to be the voice of reason given the chance again.  Some of the most stunning displays of sportsmanship in athletics come from leaders on the field.  Often without the prompting - or even in defiance - of a coach.  The Covenant players can let the coach take the fall, but mercy is all the more meaningful when it is granted by a peer.
• The Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools (TAPPS).  Check out the quote from Edd Burleson, director of TAPPS in the ESPN article.  Is anyone surprised Edd is advocating the golden rule, given that his organization didn't have the foresight to enact any other rule that could have prevented this?  The Dallas Academy team has been winless their past four seasons.  As an athletic governing body, how did Edd and company not see this coming?  I hate the idea of excluding anyone from high school athletics.  So barring the Dallas Academy from TAPPS play on the basis of their enrollment or roster size is unacceptable.  But somebody had to imagine team with a creep of a coach and some callous players making this possible.  Where was the mercy rule?

Don't get me wrong.  I agree that coach Grimes was largely responsible for committing an egregious violation of the concept of fair play.  But it bothers me that personalities like Mike & Mike let the buck stop there.  Clearly there are other parties who could have prevented or put a stop to this shameful display.  If this really is a "teachable moment," then let's make sure the right people are learning.

John Thain: American Hero

It's been a rough couple of months for the financial sector. And in an industry accustomed to fat year-end bonuses, Christmas may be looking a little bleak this year. But John Thain, CEO of Merrill Lynch, wasn't about to let his stocking go empty this holiday. So earlier this week, Thain recommended to the Merrill compensation committee that he receive a $10 million performance bonus. After all, under Thain's guidance Merrill only lost $11.7 billion this year. And while similarly staggering losses forced several competing firms to fold outright, Merrill has sold out to Bank of America.

So maybe Thain deserves some credit for blunting the impact of the economic crisis on his firm. But a $10 million bonus? Have we truly regressed to such an entitled, everybody-gets-a-trophy society that this guy honestly believes his firm can lose almost $12 billion dollars and he should be rewarded? Isn't that sort of like giving a bonus to the airline pilot who manages to save half the passengers in a crash? "Yeah, we know it's not your fault that the wings fell off, but that's a hell of a crash landing. Here's an extra 10%."

After several days of very public ridicule, Thain withdrew his bonus recommendation. But let's take a moment to acknowledge a seminal moment in corporate greed and entitlement. John Thain, we salute you.

The Case for Obama/Biden

I got into some back and forth on Facebook this evening over the merits of the presidential candidates. One of my Facebook buddies posted this link to a blog where the conservative authors laid out the case against Barack Obama. She encouraged people thinking about voting Democrat to read the blog and consider their position. I read it. The authors rehashed the same attacks the McCain campaign has been employing for months. Nothing new.

I responded with the following comment: "Read it. Still voting for Obama/Biden. Are there any McCain/Palin supporters willing to state a case for their candidates, or is the tank so dry that attacking the other guy is the only thing left?"

She came right back with: "Ben, it's all about balance within the government. There are other people I might like above McCain but above all I'm a fiscal conservative. As a small business owner I am a capitalist and don't believe in spreading the wealth nor raising taxes on people who suceed in this world. Without any checks and balances we may be bordering on socialism. Keep government out of my pockets and my home. Capatalism works. That's why I'm voting McCain. Why are you voting Obama? Just wondering. I know I live in a state where it doesn't matter anyway:)"

I want to respond, because after taking shots at McCain and Palin in previous blog posts, I haven't explained precisely why I believe Barack Obama is the superior candidate. So here it is:
I am also a fiscal conservative. I believe in institutional deregulation and placing an emphasis on individual education and accountability. I think that irresponsible borrowers should share the blame for the crisis in the credit market with the lenders. And I agree that McCain's fiscal policy reflects those beliefs more closely than Obama's.

But here's the problem. After eight years of mismanagement by the Bush administration, the presidency has been compromised. The American public no longer trusts the Executive to lead effectively on matters of domestic and foreign policy. So regardless of who is elected in November, much of their first term agenda will be dictated by the Congress and the media, as these institutions have replaced the Oval Office as the director of American government. With that in mind, I'm looking to the incumbent to serve as a "rebuilding" President. A man who can restore trust and confidence in the office, so that in another one or two election cycles, we can elect a candidate based more on policy, than personality.

I think Obama is the best equipped candidate to put the Executive back in the driver's seat. He has demonstrated patience, intelligence and diplomacy in his brief senate career. And he has carried himself with poise and dignity throughout a grueling campaign. But most importantly, he has shown a capacity for openness and a willingness to compromise that has been lacking from the current Republican administration and from the McCain ticket. According to Bush and McCain, if you are not with them, you are against them. If you oppose their foreign policy, you are not a patriot. If you believe that we must fund improvements in health care and education with tax dollars, you are a socialist. Not all the policies are bad, but the way the Republican party conducts themselves alienates Americans, instead of building consensus.

Every election cycle we put a President into office who makes a practice of divisive politics, we are another four years removed from electing a President who has a say in setting their own agenda. This is why, in 2008, Barack Obama is the candidate for the job.

Vote Obama/Biden... Please, I'm Begging You

Ok, here's the deal: I'm a registered Independent. I like having the freedom to vote the candidates and not get railroaded by party lines. As such, I am always hesitant to seriously endorse a candidate. Once you jump on the bandwagon, it's easy to lose objectivity. But I'm sitting here in my hotel room in San Francisco watching the VP debate and, screw it... We need to elect Barack Obama and Joe Biden.

We have suffered for almost 8 years under the governance of a fear-mongering, divisive, incompetent administration. When we have an opportunity to put two candidates into the Executive who have conducted themselves with poise, intelligence and a demonstrated capacity to focus on policy instead of partisanship, it is inexcusable to do otherwise.

When I'm watching a VP candidate speak, I'm not thinking about how that candidate is going to perform as president of the Senate. I'm thinking about about how they're going to perform as president of the United States. And right now, I'm watching Sarah Palin speak. Have the political standards of the Amerian people sunk so low that we will tolerate this joke of a candidate? Ok, silly question.

But the only reason I'm able to stomach this debate is because from time-to-time Sarah Palin's folksy, pre-packaged, totally irrelevant drivel is interrupted by a sound answer from Joe Biden.

This woman is almost as painful as George Bush. Did she just say "nuke-yuh-ler weapons?" She IS George Bush: Woefully underqualified for an executive role in the federal government, unfit to serve as an ambassador of the American public and lacking basic grammar and articulation.

This debate is encouraging. Largely because I hope a lot of Americans who were thinking about voting McCain/Palin are cringing at what the Governor of Alaska is saying this evening. And maybe for the first time, they're thinking of how embarassing it would be to have the Governor of Alaska carrying the American standard if anything were to happen to their 72 year old Presidential candidate.

In putting in writing how strongly I feel about electing Obama and Biden (or more appropriately, NOT electing McCain and Palin), I'm exposing myself to criticism should their administration fail to meet it's potential. This is a limb I wouldn't have crawled out on for Gore, or Kerry, or Hillary Clinton. But I'm starting to believe that Obama represents something different. I'm excited about the prospect of seeing a leader I respect in the Oval Office. As a nation, we have an opportunity to make a bold statement that heightens expectations for our leaders. So please, let's not screw this up again. Vote Obama/Biden.