Everyone said they couldn't do it. Everyone counted the Marlins out. Everyone thought the Yankees were just too good. Well...Marlins: 3 / Yankees: 2...1 down, 3 to go.

URL: Major League Baseball : Postseason : World Series

Now I remember one of the things I wanted to blog - City Creator. A great website that is guaranteed to waste your time. Once you get started, you just can't stop. For now, I think the cityscape is my favorite, but only because I haven't figured out how to properly use the medieval theme.

URL: City Creator

Don't you hate it when you know you want to blog about something, but then forget when you actually have time to blog?

The Cubs haven't won a World Series since 1908. They haven't been to the World Series since 1945. The Marlins haven't lost a post-season series. Ever.

URL: Florida Marlins News

For some odd reason today, I was wondering if "reck" was a word. I mean, we have "reckless," so there would have to be a word reck and to not have reck would make you reckless. I had heard of wreck, but not reck. For those curious, here's the definition:

To take heed of or to have caution.

Makes sense when you think of what reckless means, and maybe even makes sense that wreck may come from it. But then, how does adding an "on" make reckon, which has a completely different meaning?

URL: Dictionary.com/reck

With both the Yankees and Marlins winning today, the match-up I've been hoping for seems to be coming to fruition. Before the LCS games started (NYY/BOS & CHC/FLA), I wanted Boston and Chicago to win - wouldn't it be great to have both these perennial losers in a World Series match-up, in which one of them had to win? Someone's streak would have had to end. One of the curses would be broken. But, now...I want the Yankees & Marlins.

Why? To tell you the truth, I'm a huge Yankees-hater. Always have been, always will be. The Angels are my team and their AL rivals are the Yankees, it was the greatest last year when the lowly Angels, underdogs without a chance, won the first round matchup against the Yankees. But now, why have I decided to root on the Yankees? Because not only are the Red Sox a bunch of dirty players, they also have some of the worst fans. And when I'm saying they have bad fans, that's gotta be bad, because I never thought you could get worse, more annoying fans than Yankees fans, but now...with the Red Sox in the playoffs, Red Sox fans are showing their true colors. They're loud, annoying, obnoxious, and downright idiotic (of course, there's always a few good ones, but I like to lump them all into one group - how nice of me, eh?). And on top of the annoying fans, their players are no better. Lowe gives an obscene gesture after beating the Athetlics, Manny poses after hitting a HR for an eternity, Pedro points to his head, taunting the Yankees, the list goes on and on (note: I am not criticizing Pedro for hitting Garcia or throwing Zimmer to the ground - both were fine in my opinion). So...go Yankees.

And now - why could I possibly root against the Cubs? America's newly-found lovable losers? Because of the curse. I want to see it go on. I want the Cubs to blow a 3-1 lead. I want the Marlins to win it all. It would mean the Marlins have never lost a post-season series, leaving the Cubs still without a World Series appearance since 1945 (at least they got rid of that "no post-season series win since 1908" jinx). But it just seems as if everyone is now hopping on the Cubs' bandwagon...everyone loves them all of a sudden when they couldn't give a rat's ass during the regular season. I hate bandwagonners. HATE THEM. So...go Marlins.

URL: Florida Marlins News

What a beautiful day it was here in San Diego. Just don't know why I'd ever move away from Southern California (except for very certain jobs - say, Quantico?). But still, even though I was driving a bus for 6 hours during the best parts of the day, it was simply great. Not too hot, a beautifully sunny day. Couldn't ask for anything more - except maybe winning the lottery.

Here in Southern California, our major supermarket chains are Albertsons, Ralphs and Vons. This morning, about 70,000 workers from those three chains went on strike or were locked out as contract negotiations broke down overnight. While I understand where the workers are coming from, in general, grocery store workers have some of the best benefits of any job. Most of their health care is paid for 100% and they have no co-pays for office visits. Now, with costs rising 50% in 4 years, the grocery stores want to shift some of the cost (not all of it, mind you) to the workers - which isn't uncalled for - almost everyone I know has to pay for doctors visits, pay for healthcare in some way.

Yet, the grocery store workers want it all. While making more yearly than registered nurses and teachers, they want 100% medical coverage (though I'm sure there was some point between 100% and the 50% cut the grocery stores want that they'd agree to), and they want to continue making a good amount of money. How are Vons, Albertsons, and Ralphs supposed to compete with the increasingly cheaper stores that are gaining market share - Wal-Mart, Costco, etc.?

Like I said, I don't think it's unreasonable to want good healthcare, but in my opinion, from what I've read, they're just asking for too much and not willing to give up enough to continue working. So here we sit with 70,000 workers out of work, truck drivers refusing to deliver food (they're a union too, afterall), and if you want to go shop in one of these stores, you're harassed as you enter because these workers refuse to work and would rather stand outside picketing.

URL: CNN.com - 70,000 grocery store workers strike - Oct. 12, 2003