It's obvious why the Catholic-hood can't maintain the "one strike you're out" policy on sex abuse towards children. While everyone probably wants it, for the sake of the kids, the priests can't let it stand. In this article you can see them resisting it. Why? The whole religion is based on forgiveness. They must, theoretically, be capable of forgiving anything. Even the molesting of children.

You can always count on Carl Everett for a good quote or two, and he usually gets pummeled by the media afterwords, as he has been for his recent comments in Maxim Magazine about gays, Wrigley Field, and war.

But I would like to focus on what he says about fans:

"I don't care what the fans think about me because I don't go home with fans,'' he says. "My job is to help my teammates win. I don't sleep with the fans. ... Fan is short for fanatic -- he's crazy about something he really doesn't know about. And it's proven that 99 percent of baseball fans have no idea what they're watching.''

He's right. Your average fan really doesn't know squat about what's going on in the field, especially when it comes to Major League-level play. I hate to sound like a know-it-all, but I know how hard it is to keep up with everything like news, stats, rules, players, etc. It takes a lot of time. And that's not including the actual game of baseball, which is incredibly complex. But most fans don't know more than what they picked up in little league and after a few beers they think that's enough to run the team themselves.

So yeah, I agree with Everett on this one.

Ego in Guatemalan Newspapers
A few years ago I met a guy who worked in the higher-ups of a Guatemalan newspaper. He told me he was interested in the fact that I had newspaper experience. He told me that my perspective was unique, me studying outside the country and all.

So he asked me to email him some articles in spanish, and that he would try to publish them. After the first one, he said they were good and would get them out right away. I sent a total of four, and none ended up getting published, ever.

Today I ran across those articles and my insecurities were ameliorated - they were pretty good for their time. It had nothing to do with quality. Then I remembered how it is that I feel every time I TRY to read an editorial (which is what these articles would've been) in a guatemalan paper. Try it for yourself, it's nauseating. Editorials in guatemalan papers aren't about getting an opinion out, they're about trying to look and sound fancy, to say to people "look at how educated I am, look at all these big words and puffed up sentences."

It's just not my thing, and there's no point, really, considering that most people can't read or write. So why make it even tougher? To impress the other guy who will write the next day's editorial, it's a battle of elitists.

Fuck!
I had this nice, long entry about Google Maps and all its cool features and the browser shut down on me. Just go check it out, especially the satellite feature.

Google has so many cool things.

Katacomb
This is a bar/dance club in Lincoln Park. I like that the entrance is very low-key, if you don't know it's there you'll miss it. We got there later on in the night and it was full but not too crowded. I like the lighting and the decor, especially the low ceiling that looks like a, well, catacomb. There were some fans in the ceiling to keep things from overheating and the music was good, especially when they got to the regeton at the end there. There is a small VIP lounge curtained off next to the mens' room, it's got the AC on full blast, and we went in there after a bachelorette party had ended. Unfortunately, I took a peek in there earlier (I was curious) and got a faceful of a g-stringed, male stripper gyrating his hips in front of a screaming girl. She was liking it.

That was Katacomb, and I had fun.

I give it three peanuts.

Oh and I forgot, for whatever it's worth, 95% of the people there were either black or asian. In all fairness, I think all the black people were there together as part of some party.

Getting a drink at a bar
This article on metromix is kind of silly but it got me thinking about what I feel is the "right way" to deal with bartenders.

Unless the guy (or girl) is an asshole, and I've found that most of them aren't, it's rather simple. Like the metromix articles says, put yourself in a position to be seen. For me it's easier because I'm a tall guy - but it helps to have your money ready, your order ready, and to have tipped on the last drink you got. All I do is look at the bartender, try to make eye contact, and not act overeager. Don't try to yell or jump up and down and be all like "Hey I've been waiting forever!" That's just annoying.

Hey look I understand bartenders.

U.S. Rich Lower Risks on Mansion, Sweet Mansion
Interesting article in today's Wall Street Journal about how the rich have started cut back on real-estate investments. It seems to be another small indicator that this real-estate bubble will soon burst. Someone even compared it to the internet bust back in the day.

A lot of people are going to lose a lot of money.

And you know if the rich have stopped doing it, something is going on. They are rich for a reason - they know stuff.

Bulk Email
Here's one from "Marsha":

Nasty anal fruit salad Trio s-exual escapade bar

Anal fruit salad? What the hell?

Skiles signs on after all
Thank goodness, he's staying.

Funny how the media bounces back and forth - now they are praising him.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/basketball/bulls/cs-050607bullsskiles,1,62424.story?coll=chi-sportsnew-hed

Draft
The Cubs signed a high school pitcher with their first pick, a guy named Mark Pawelek, whom they've already signed. Which is surprising since he is a Boras client. Check out these numbers:

10-0 63 IP, 0ER(!) 132Ks (!!)

In his first three years at Springville, Pawelek was 26-2 with a state-record 341 strikeouts. He ended his prep career with 476 Ks, the Utah state all-time record.

That's amazing, he says he sees himself as a control pitcher, which is good, even though he can bring it up to 94-96mph.

Here is the scouting report:

School: Springville High School
Position: LHP B/T: L/L
H: 6'3" W: 190
Born: 1986-08-18 Class: HS
Scouting report:
LHP w/ ideal pitcher's frame. Tall and long w/ lean muscle. Explosive low-90s FB that sinks and runs. Comes out of a quick, loose whip-like delivery. Curveball is out pitch, w/ 1-7 break that comes near the plate.

Only time will tell. The draft isn't over and there are a few guys I hope get drafted, friends of mine. Or hopefully they'll get signed afterwards as free agents.