In response to Joe's Bond Post

My take on Casino Royale is really easy to say. It was a good movie, had some nice high points and showed a good transformation of James Bond into 007 that ends with James Bond saying his name the famous way (Bond, James Bond) and in a suit, looking damn good that I can only hope to pull off on my wildest dreams. Daniel Craig does well as a poker player and despite driving a Ford(!) in the beginning of the movie, has excellent taste in cars.

However, my summary of this movie is found in this picture. Put me in there instead of Daniel Craig and I'd be one happy man.

I also have a WoW thing to talk about with me being disgusted by something but that is for another post.

On Vacation

I am flying out in the morning to visit my parents and some friends in California.

Since I am trying to get back into blogging, I will try to make some sort of insightful post from California but don't hold your breath.

Which is easier to be elected as...?

A Conservative Democrat or a Liberal Republican?

A recent friend suggested to me, that in light of current events, I should consider a career in politics. I laughed it off, but the thought did occur to me, since I consider myself fairly moderate, I would probably be considered a Moderate Democrat or Centrist.

But which would it be easier to be elected as? A liberal Republican, or Conservative Democrat?

Most Liberal Republicans have been either ousted by their own party or been voted out of office. Chafee of Rhode Island comes immediately to mind. However, some more "liberal" Republicans, that would be probably consider a Moderate by the overall spectrum still remain in office. Schwarzenegger is easily more to the left than most Republicans from the Bible Belt. Other "Republicans in Name Only" include 3 senators that are thought to perhaps switch party after the GOP's humiliating defeat, Senators Specter, Collins and Snowe. Other prominent Liberal Republicans can be found here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republican_in_Name_Only. Scary part about this is most of these Liberal Republicans, I find myself agreeing with on several issues.

Conservative Democrats (or "Blue Dogs") tend to be the modern version of Dixiecrats and follow in the footsteps of conservative Democratic Presidents (the most prominent of which include Truman - West Wing watchers may remember President Walken debating with Lily Tomlin whether or not Truman would be a Republican today.) Most of these peoples' views include pro-life stances and pro-NRA. This alone would tell me that I am not a Conservative Democrat but in the last term, 37 members of the Democratic party considered themselves Blue Dogs (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_Dog_Democrats)

So which is it? Is it easier to be elected as a Conservative Democrat or Liberal Republican? I think it partly has to do of course with the constituents. Notice, a lot of the blue dog democrats come from the west and South where the Liberal Republicans seem to come more from the Industrial Northeast and Caleefornnniaa (sp intentional). In today's political environment though, nationally, probably a Conservative Democrat running for election last week just due to the negative stereotype associated with the GOP, courtesy of George W. Bush.

What's currently wrong in Baseball

It is completely wrong, in my not so humble opinion, that the Bost Red Sox paid $51.1 million to gain exclusive rights to talk to a pitcher from Japan. The pitcher himself will only make $40 million at most over four years but his team will make more than that from selling his rights to the Boston Red Sox.

On top of this, that amount, $51.1 million, is more money than the payroll of a couple professional baseball teams including the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, the Florida Marlins, and the Colorado Rockies.

If that's not screwed up, what is?