(Sports) Replay, No Play...

So what’s with all of these sports media guys and gals talking about instant replay in baseball?  If not all then at least 99% of all of the people who are making this claim probably doesn’t even care for baseball.  Baseball enthusiasts believe one thing about that topic and that is, no instant replay.  Baseball is an all American sport and it’s one of the oldest sports in America.  There is so much rich history and so many records.  With instant replay you tend to take away some of the great moments in baseball history.  It makes some of baseball history invalid.  Because of the human element, there have been bad calls’ dating back to the late 1800’s where baseball was in its infancy.  I understand that technology is the present and the future and yes we have seen on replay the many bad calls that have been made throughout baseball but, it’s baseball. 

One argument I’ve heard time and time again is the length of the game of baseball and that with instant replay it may take too long.  Then there are others who say that managers coming out to argue take longer than an umpire viewing a questionable call on instant replay.  And that may very well be true.  BUT, one thing that I have noticed in my many years of watching the great sport of baseball is that the fans love when managers come out to argue despite however long it may take.  For or against the manager, at the park or on television, it is one of the excitements of baseball when a manager comes out to argue a questionable call.  Why would anyone want to take that away? 

I love the fact that umpires have their own strike zone, it makes the game interesting.  I love the fact that there is a human element to baseball, it makes the game interesting.  Imagine the baseball world with instant replay…  The sport would just not be as exciting.  It would consist of pure let’s just check the replay and there would be no exciting arguments, no one getting upset, nothing to talk about the next day at work, it would just be plain boring.  To some baseball is boring enough now imagine taking away the excitement of questionable calls that even instant replay doesn’t always get right.  Do not take away the human component of baseball with technology, its fun the way it is.  Let’s just play ball or better yet, “put me in coach, I’m ready to play”. 

(Politics) Prop 8 a Little too Late

I don’t vote but, that’s a whole other blog.  I do want to talk about California Proposition 8 (2008) though.  The gist of Prop 8 is that “Only marriages between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California”.  Simple enough right?  Not so fast…  There are men who want to marry men and there are women who want to marry women.  That’s not normal is it?  By “today’s” standards, it’s not.  But at one point in our nation’s history interracial marriage was also frowned upon and according to the US Census Bureau, interracial marriage is more common today than ever before.  Could gay marriage claim that same realization? 

Despite my beliefs/religion, I have always supported Prop 8, wondering why homosexuals want or need to get married.  Marriage began as a religion thing anyway right?  And don’t gay men and women have the benefit of claiming domestic partnership, something I as a straight man am not privileged to do.  In order for me to claim my girlfriend for medical benefits at work I’d have to marry her.  I’m not ready to marry her, but same sex partners could claim their boyfriends or girlfriends on their employers benefit programs via domestic partnership laws.  I never thought that was fair but then again at least I had the option of marriage whereas same sex partners don’t.  I also felt that should California allow same sex marriage then where would it end?  Can a man ask to marry his dog?  Can a woman ask to marry her biological brother?  If marriage is currently only valid between a man and a woman then by allowing same sex marriage would mean that other people who want to marry let’s say their dog or brother would want to exercise their “constitutional” rights to marry as well.  Not to mention that one of my gay friends actually voted for Prop 8 stating that he does not want to marry his boyfriend and wants to continue to take advantage of domestic partnership.

Well, I guess this is a great introduction as to why I don’t vote.  I don’t vote because I never know all of the facts.  I never really do my research.  Another one of my gay friends answered the one question I really had on the whole subject and that is why?  Why do gay men and women want to get married, why do they want that right?  Well, not all states honor domestic partnership.  So if I were gay living in California and found a great job that I was completely qualified for in another state that does not honor domestic partnership, I’d miss out on a great opportunity because my rights would be different in that state in regards to my partner.  Now all states honor legal marriages and if I were to be married to my partner then my rights would be honored nationwide and in essence most countries in the world.  It’s not so much a point that is trying to be made, it’s a right. 

I don’t agree with Prop 8 anymore.  I just hope that gay men and women don’t just rush and get married because they can.  It’s the same as same sex couples.  You have to know that person is the one.  Marriage is a big step, it’s a big commitment.  For those that are still opposed, consider the facts, it’s not about you, it’s about humanity and you need to remember that we are all different, though we’re not the same, we are “One”. 

(Travel) LA County Fair isn't Fair

Ok, so I went to the LA County Fair in Pomona California last week.  WOW!!!  That was the biggest waste of money I have ever spent in my life.  My family and I went on a Saturday evening after a long day at school, work, errands, etc.  We were pretty tired so we decided to pay for the VIP parking which was a whopping $20.  The benefit of that was parking near the entrance.  So that was my bad because I should have just paid the $10 for general parking and take the shuttle (I think the shuttle is free???).  Anywho, we paid for VIP and were able to walk to the entrance and still had to pay $17 a pop for each of us and $12 for my kid.  Well… maybe that’ll mean I get something in return for having to pay just to enter right… WRONG!!!  We still had to pay to get on the rides.  The food and the drinks were outrageously priced.  We paid twelve dollars for ONE funnel cake with whip cream.  TWELVE DOLLARS!!!  It was only the size of my hand and I’m not a big person to say the least. 

I’m not sure who runs the show here but what are they thinking?  Speaking of shows, you have to pay extra for that too.  What’s the entrance fee for anyway?  Geez, I’d rather pay to go to Disneyland or Knott’s Berry Farm or something where at least I can ride any of the rides as many times as I want. 

Needless to say, I learned my lesson.  I work too hard for my money…  What do I get, “Another day older and deeper in debt”.