Of Cabbages and Kings

I don’t know about you, but I’m so sick of political ads, I could scream. If you don’t know who you’re voting for, hell, if you didn’t know who your boy/girl was two months ago, you probably shouldn’t have the right to vote.

Speaking of the right to vote, what’s with all this early voting shit going on? Not only has politics devolved to its lowest ebb in my lifetime, but now, we make it easier than ever to allow any moron the right to vote, and they don’t even need to wait until Election Day any more. Maine allows in-person and by mail early voting, and you don't need an excuse, or note from your mother, either. Contrary to popular opinion and national myth, the Constitution doesn't enshrine a right to vote, like it ensures the right to free speech, for example. This is because the Founders were suspicious of direct democracy. Democracy is not the same as freedom. Orwell's "meaningless words" ring truer than ever, this election cycle.

I happened to have it from several municipal sources that all this early voting, and the hoi polloi arriving en masse is taxing many town and city halls’ capabilities to meet the demand. On top of that our esteemed Governor Baldacci voted early himself, in order to "meet some voters in the morning," and then "relaxing and watching the returns come in in the evening." Isn't that special?

As an antidote to all the political madness and mayhem, I’m turning this weekend to one of my hallowed traditions—my annual rite of shredding cabbage, ala krautmaking. Actually, I’m about a month later breaking out the Krauthobel, or “Hobler” this year, compared to previous years.

While I’m late embracing my German-ness this year, cabbage also seems to be more difficult to come by. Could this be a result of the economic downturn and Americans turning to this longtime staple of the poor for sustenance?

Actually, while cabbage has been disparaged by many elites (do you think Obama even knows what sauerkraut is, let alone ever tasting it?), others, like Cato, advised fellow Romans to eat plenty of raw cabbage seasoned with vinegar before a banquet at which one plans to “drink deep.” Germans have long celebrated their annual Octoberfest with sauerkraut and dark beer.

During the first millennium A.D. Europeans were devouring stewed cabbage during the cold winter months because it was one of the few staples available when the ground produced little else.

At 27 cents per pound, I can put up 75 pounds of sauerkraut and still have change coming back from a $20 bill. In these tougher times, it’s worth a late fall afternoon shredding cabbage and beginning the fermentation process.

It was almost 10 years ago that my cousin, John, showed me how to make my own sauerkraut. It’s been a seasonal activity for me ever since. This year, I’m excited to be introducing my sister to the joys of krautmaking. Not only do I get to pass this part of my German heritage on to someone else, I have someone to take turns on the “pounder,” packing the cabbage tightly, which is part and parcel of the process.

Whether we have a Democrat/Republican occupying the White House come January, I’ll have my own batch of sauerkraut to get me through the dark days of winter and beyond.

Finding a silver lining

Getting outside ourselves is good. It helps us to understand that reality is much bigger than us. It also helps to understand that most of us have little affect on things like elections, presidential candidates, and stock markets. Yet, I've been focusing much of my energy in those directions of late. Because of that, I've become increasingly cynical--which has found its way into my writing/posting of late, on this blog.

Don't worry; I haven't suddenly embraced the cult of Pollyanna. However, I think I'm done with Horserace 2008. Whoever wins won't affect my day-to-day reality in any significant way, regardless of what media pundits, talk show hosts, or the Chamber of Commerce tells me, which is basically, vote McCain, and vote Republican, like a good little business drone.

Beginning Wednesday, I decided to forego any form of news/talk radio during my drives up/down I-95. Relying on a combination of assorted CDs in my car, some college radio (when I could pick it up), and some WBACH, I ended the week on a high note. Some of that may have been seeing the fruits of my labor, and the realization that I'm making some small difference for others, but I think a portion of my glass half full ending to the week had to do with a decision to stop the flow of negative information.

I'll check back with you soon and let you know how its working.

It's official: We're (Maine) in a recession

[You'll have to sit through a brief, inane commercial for some credit reporting company, once again driving home points made by the late Neil Postman, about mass communication.]

Time to sing a new song

We are less than two weeks away from going to the polls and having the lesser of two evils visited upon us once again. To be fair to Mr. McCain and Mr. Obama, they didn’t create the current clusterfuck that serves as democracy in America; they stand merely as symptoms of a much larger systemic failure.

Sadly, political contributions totalling billions of dollars could have been directed to better uses, not to mention the amazing amount of volunteerism that would have served us better if it had been invested in local efforts at community building, and bettering where we all live.

Once again, a little more than half of those registered to vote will participate in an election that only moves us closer to a looming train wreck of governance.

Those who do vote for the two corporate choices will hold their ground, tied to party loyalties that often won't stand even minimal scrutiny. How can you explain away one vice president, claiming to represent “regular” folks, dropping $150,000 of campaign contributions for shopping sprees to Neiman Marcus and Saks Fifth Avenue, with nearly $5,000 of that being for makeup and hair? And we thought John “Breck Girl” Edwards’ $400 haircut was an extravagance.

Of course, hypocrisy isn’t limited by party affiliation, as “Senator Plastic,” Joe Biden, never met a credit card peddler he couldn’t cut a deal with.

As Ralph Nader (a guy who probably buys his suits at Men's Wearhouse) opines over at Counterpunch, “The Song Remains the Same” when it comes to presidential politics. Nader makes the point that there is little real difference in the choice between Senators Obama and McCain, despite protestations to the contrary from Beck, Limbaugh, Carr and other right-wing talkmeisters (“he’s a socialist”) about Mr. Obama, and the left’s bleatings of senility, and VP incompetence, referring to the McCain/Palin ticket.

Asking the question, “Where then is the “hope” and “change” from the junior Senator from Illinois,”? Nader goes on to layout the similarities between McBama and O’Cain.

“…Obama and McCain want more nuclear power plants, more coal production, and more offshore oil drilling. Our national priority should be energy efficient consumer technologies (motor vehicles, heating, air conditioning and electric systems) and renewable energy such as wind, solar and geothermal.

Both support the gigantic taxpayer funded Wall Street bailout, without expressed amendments. Both support the notorious Patriot Act, the revised FISA act which opened the door to spy on Americans without judicial approval, and Obama agrees with McCain in vigorously opposing the impeachment of George W. Bush and Dick Cheney.

What about avoidance? Did you see them speak about a comprehensive enforcement program to prosecute corporate crooks in the midst of the greatest corporate crime wave in our history? Did you see them allude to doing anything about consumer protection (credit card gouging, price of medicines, the awful exploitation and deprivation of the people in the inner city) and the ripoffs of buyers in ever more obscure and inescapable ways?”

You can read the rest of the article, here.

Maybe we need the revolution that Nader and someone to his right, Ron Paul, are calling for. It is a credit to the character and integrity of both of these men (as well as Cynthia McKinney, and Chuck Baldwin) that they could put ideological differences aside and find four points of common ground to offer Americans a common rallying point.

I continue to be amazed that each subsequent presidential election leaves us with so narrow a spectrum of choices every four years. A country with over 300 million people can't (or won't) grant us something better than two candidates splitting hairs over minor issues, and a perennial field of third-party candidates excluded from the debates, and blacked out by the news media.

Unfortunately, things will probably get worse before Americans wake up to the bankruptcy of going back to the same well and expecting a different tasting drink of water, one that’s not putrefied.

Hopefully, we’ll have a choice in four, or eight more years to travel a different path.

It's one game playoff time

[Photo/Getty Images]

It was my contention, when the Sox were down three games to one, that the Tampa Ray (Devil) Rays, Joe Maddon’s upstarts, had better close it out in game 5 because if they had to play games 6 and 7, the pressure of the postseason might overwhelm a team that had never been there before.

We obviously know about the Sox and their amazing knack for Lazarus-like returns from the dead. Their come from behind Houdini act in game 5 sending it back to the Trop didn’t bode well for the Joe Maddon-led Rays.

When the red-hot B.J. Upton hit his fourth homer of the ALCS, Sox fans felt a tremor of concern. After Thursday night, however, the faithful knew that someone would step up soon. Youk was the man tonight, evening it up with a blast of his own, and later adding a ground out to put the Sox on top.

Jason Varitek picked himself up off the mat, breaking an 0-13 ALCS string of futility with a blast to right. Then, Jason Bartlett threw a routine groundball wide and over the head of Carlos Pena (feeling the pressure?) keeping the sixth inning alive. Big Papi added some cushion after the Bartlett miscue, with a clutch single to right center allowing Coco to trot home and the Sox were up 4-2.

All the consternation about Beckett pitching game 6 was for nought. With better command and a good breaking pitch, the veteran gave the Sox five solid innings and it was time for the Red Sox bullpen to get them to the finish line.

It was enjoyable in the 7th, to hear the Ray's fans getting restless. While I'm happy that they finally got a taste of meaningful baseball in October, you can tell that both they and their team need a bit more seasoning before being crowned major league champions.

As for CHB's column about the Rays' reaction to their game 5 meltdown, it's quite apparent to me how they're reacting.

It's Lester tomorrow for game 7 and I’m liking our chances to be going head-to-head against the Phillies in this year’s fall classic.