Getting More Out Than the Vote?

This campaign season (or year, or two years) has really seen it all. Talking snowmen at YouTube debates, scandal about $400 haircuts, McCain supporters calling Hillary a b*tch, and Rudy supporting the Red Sox, just to name a few. Here's yet another bizarre story to add to the mix.

Amy Argetsinger and Roxanne Roberts in yesterday's "The Reliable Source" in the Washington Post profiles Dennis Hof, the owner of the Moonlite Bunny Ranch in Nevada. Yes, that bunny ranch. It turns out Hof is a huge (literally and figuratively) fan of Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul. According to Hof:

"He's a live-and-let-live guy, 'you don't bother me, I don't bother you.' That's our state. He's not pro-prostitutes. He just doesn't want the federal government meddling in states' business."

Well said, Dennis. But it gets better. He's trying to raise money and awareness for Paul at the Bunny Ranch. According to Argetsinger and Roberts, Hof claimed, "If you come in the Bunny Ranch and say, 'I'm pimping for Paul,' you get two bunnies for the price of one."

Not only does he run the world's most famous brothel, he's also great with alliteration! I'm sure Ron Paul is thrilled at this special, being the conservative Christian that he is. Still, this nation suffers greatly from public apathy to politics and the political system. Maybe Dennis Hof is on to something? Still, I'll stick to voter registration drives and fundraising rallies this time around...

Inspiration for Kanye West's "Good Life" Revealed!

I couldn't keep this from everyone any longer. Kanye said he'd come after me, but it's a risk I'm going to take.

Yes, I am part inspiration for Kanye West's hit song "Good Life." No, not the lyrics about the beautiful models or the expensive cars, or even the "champagne on a plane" riff. It's way down in the song when he's rapping about the good life and says:

"It feel like Philly / It feel like DC / It feel like VA"

Yes, that was journey from high school to college to post-graduate life. (Throw in Boston and Dublin there, and he's in for a lawsuit it's so similar to my bio).

Well I'm glad I got that off my chest. Enjoy the video. Sorry, it's the edited version, but you get the idea. Minutes 2:08-2:11. That's my good life.

Don't Mess With Charlie Wilson's War

I just finished reading George Crile's Charlie Wilson's War. I know, I know. Pretty much everyone has read this book already, but better late than never. Plus, I wanted to finish it before the film comes out next month. Simply put, it is phenomenal.

Speaking of the film, to quote Anderson Cooper from last night's Republican YouTube / CNN debate, "What's up with that?" (He was refering to Fred Thompson's campaign ad, I'm refering to the Charlie Wilson's War trailer and promo poster).

I'm suspicious of the casting first of all. Philip Seymour Hoffman could pull off a good Gust Avrokotos. He's a very diverse actor that can morph into so many different roles. Fine. But Tom Hanks, the all-American guy next door playing Congressman Charlie Wilson, the binge-drinking, woman-chasing, belly-dancing-loving, potentially-crack-snorting-in-a-hot-tub-in-Vegas Texan? I feel it will take a major suspension of disbelief to pull that off. And then there's Julia Roberts as Joanne Herring. Just throw her in for the heck of it? Star attraction? We'll see. Take a look at the preview. It seems they are trying to make a pseudo-comedy out of a very serious time in our nation's Cold War policy whose effects we are still feeling today. Sure, there were many wild, fun, and unbelievable episodes in the book, but I hope the film will not be just a mere caricature of the man.



Finally, "what's up with the promo poster?" I admit grammar isn't my favorite subject, but isn't it missing a "?" after "empire" (?) Either way, we'll have to wait and see until Christmas whether they pulled it off. I hope they did - it's a great story that deserves a great telling.

Schilling's Wardrobe Malfunction

This is from a few days ago, but still worthwhile. Curt Schilling showed up at the premiere of the Red Sox World Series commemorative film a bit, well, underdressed:

These things happen. A fancy event at one of Boston's finest theatres and you choose to go in lumberjack style. Curt reflected on this oversight on his blog http://www.38pitches.com :

"Spent last night at the premiere of the 2007 World Series Video release. Unfortunately someone forgot to get me the clothing memo. So I showed up looking like I had just finished cutting wood, with everyone else in suit and tie. I guess the Red Carpet should have been a tip off…"

We'll let him off the hook this time. But if Curt does decide to dive into politics - as he has indicated in the past - it seems his opponents will have plenty of ammunition for campaign ads: "Do you want your mayor/congressman/senator" showing up on the job in flannel and jeans?"

(In all honesty, that would be the least of it, given his unwavering support for President Bush. I've always been curious about who is part of that 30% approval rating crowd...)

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving from the DC Outsider. Enjoy some good food, good company, and good conversation.

And be thankful you aren't that turkey.

The Seasons May Change, But Lowell Remains

Mike Lowell signed a 3 year, $37.5 million deal with the Sox today. What a relief! And let's hear it for players who take a little less money to stay where they know they belong.

Still looking into that Robert Ryan thing though.

Sweet Caroline Revealed!

In an interview yesterday with AP, Neil Diamond revealed that Caroline Kennedy was the inspiration for his legendary song, "Sweet Caroline." According to Diamond,

"I've never discussed it with anybody before- intentionally. I thought maybe I would tell it to Caroline when I met her someday. "

Case closed. So good! So good! So good!

Check out the article here:
http://www.boston.com/ae/celebrity/articles/2007/11/20/sweet_caroline_was_caroline_kennedy/

Don't Hate on Specter

In this week's Washington Post Magazine, Gene Weingarten writes about Arlen Specter's 2nd place finish at the annual Funniest Celebrity in Washington contest. Weingarten complains that

"the septuagenarian lawmaker [told] jokes he may well have heard from his grandpa. They [were] as stale as the air in the mausoleum, as rancid as last Thursday's sushi, as desiccated as a mummy's dandruff."

This may be true. But I give credit to Specter for having the guts to attempt stand-up at the DC Improv for 10 minutes straight. Performing stand-up comedy has to be one of the most difficult skills out there in show-biz (and that includes politics, too). And seriously. Would I rather have Specter burning the midnight oil coming up with original "funny" material or trying to solve some of our nation's problems?

So sure, Specter is no Jerry Seinfeld, but Weingarten should at least cut him a little slack for putting himself on the line. And wow, I would give him first place just for throwing out the "ringing the doorbell joke" - classic.

You be the judge:

Identity Crisis

Well, this posting should not come as a surprise to careful readers of the DC Outsider (mainly me, I guess). The Outsider began as a "forum" for disgruntled and frustrated job seekers out there and has morphed into a whole new being. While I will continue to update the site with interesting and hopefully amusing job hunt stories, it will mainly be the eclectic and whatever-goes blog it has become.

News. Sports. Commentary. Videos. Links.

Stop by early and often for updates.

Shame on Monster.com

Take a look at pages 12 and 13 of the Sports section in today's New York Times. (I apologize for 2 NYT-related posts in a row, but let's be honest, Sundays are made for sitting around and reading the paper. Or watching football. Or going to church. Or whatever gets you through until Monday.)

There's a 2 page paid advertisement spread that exclaims:

"Retire 21. Speak to any baseball aficionado of a certain age, and he or she will immediately understand the meaning of the words, "Retire 21." The number 21 was worn by Roberto Clemente, the first Latino baseball player to be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown."

The rest of the section, which is written like a news article piece, goes on to describe the influential life of Clemente on baseball and the Latino rights movement. It was very well written and inspiring. Here are a few excerpts:

- "They [Clemente and Jackie Robinson] are remembered as pioneers who broke down racial barriers and cultural stereotypes that has long been ingrained as the dark side of America's pastime."
- "Clemente's achievements speak for themselves. In his 18 seasons, he hit over .350 three times, led the major leagues in batting four times, and won 12 consecutive Gold Glove awards.
- "But perhaps his greatest achievement is paving the way for other great Latin ballplayers to follow in his footsteps and become highly paid superstars in major-league baseball."
- "Even when Clemente was a rookie, he was a leader."

Pretty good stuff. Inspirational. Moving. Damn right we should retire the number like Robinson's.

But then this piece takes a turn for the worst. After 12 paragraphs of tribute to Clemente, we come to this:

"Clemente also served as inspiration for Steve Pemberton, Monster.com's Chief Diversity Officer. " (What?!)

Futher down the page:

" "Underrepresented people don't want the rules to be changed, says Pemberton. "They just want an opportunity to play the game...At Monster, that's what we do everyday: provide access. Anyone can go to Monster.com, type in a keyword - whether it's 'truck driver' or 'finance' - and opportunities instantly appear. We offer access to the best jobs, at your fingertips, regardless of who you are or what you look like." "

Shame on Monster.com for that disgusting commercialism. I know they paid a lot of money to put that ad in the Times. However, nowhere in the graphics or headlines or anything did it mention this was a Monster.com sponsored ad until I got to that part. I had all these warm and fuzzy feelings about Roberto and then bam!, Pemberton ruins my buzz.

So yes, retire 21 - Roberto Clemente is a legend and deserves the recognition.

But Monster.com, maybe it's time you retired your ad campaign, as well. Do you think Robinson and Clemente could have just typed, 'Break baseball race barrier' in your search engine and contracts for the Dodgers and Pirates would have popped out? Their struggles and achievements should not be trivialized or exploited to boost your website traffic.

Some things are meant to remain sacred. So check out these Clemente clips to get your Clemente buzz back:

South Korea Needs Exercise?

A front page story in today's New York Times described a boot camp in South Korea that has been established to help the country's youth get some other forms of physical exercise besides tapping on a computer keyboard all day. According to the Times,

"compulsive Internet use...may be a particularly acute problem in South Korea because of the country's universal Internet access. It has becomes a national issue [there] in recent years, as users started dropping dead from exhaustion after playing online games for days on end."

One teen, whose name will remain anonymous on this blog (not that you'll ever run into the kid, since he's probably holed up in his room), spends 17 hours online a day. Shameful and sad indeed.

Now don't get me wrong. I enjoy surfing the web as much as the next guy. Hence the blog. But 17 hours a day on the computer is excessive in any situation. So the problem has gotten so bad that a bootcamp has been put together to give these kids a chance to breathe some fresh air, interact with other human beings, and get some much needed exercise. Good for them. But given this trailer from the 2006 South Korean film, The Host, I think the Koreans are getting enough exercise already...




It's a great film, too. Worth trying to find on NetFlix.

To read the Times article, click here: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/18/technology/18rehab.html?ref=world

Is Mike Lowell Related to Robert Ryan?

I couldn't keep this one to myself. Is it possible that Mike Lowell (of our beloved Red Sox) is somehow related to Robert Ryan (of 1940s-50s Hollywood lore)? You make the comparison...

Oh, what a scoop that would be. Either way, both are (were, in the case of Ryan) stand-up, classy guys.

For more on Lowell, check out:

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?statsId=6133

For more on Ryan, check out:

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0752813/

Why Can't We Be Friends?

For a recent job application, I had to write a "pseudo blog entry" on the topic of "conflict resolution as applied to Washington politics." It was a creative assignment, one I really had not considered before. Most of the conflict resolution case studies I have studied in college and graduate school have dealt with divided sectarian or ethnic communities, such as Northern Ireland, Rwanda, or Israel/Palestine. But after I thought about it, perhaps DC is a "divided community," as well. Here was my response:

Bringing Conflict Resolution Strategies to the Hill

If “war is the continuation of politics by other means” as we are so often told, is the reverse true? Is the art of politics “war by other means?” Given the bitter partisanship and fierce rhetoric from both sides of the aisle in Washington, it unfortunately appears so. The unified and bipartisan atmosphere that existed both in the nation’s capital and throughout the country following the September 11 attacks now seems like a distant memory from another era. In these days leading up to the 2008 election, the United States feels more divided than ever.

Given the current mood of our country, can anything be done about this? The bases of both the Republican and Democratic parties are energized and looking for a fight. Are centrist and bipartisan policies possible, or for that matter, even wanted? The answer to both questions is “yes,” and a potential strategy for building consensus can be found in the field of conflict resolution.

While most conflict resolution specialists apply their skills to divided communities and societies (think Northern Ireland and Israel / Palestine), many of the skills and ideas developed in the world’s hotspots can be utilized in our own “divided community” that is Capitol Hill. Here are a few strategies:

Recognize that politics is not a zero-sum game – Politics should not be about winning and losing. It should be about protecting the American people and providing a sustainable and prosperous future. Conflict resolution specialists would point out that there is room in the system to find common ground, particularly in terms of national security, during these dangerous times. Setting ideology aside for creative, multi-faceted approaches that utilizes the best of American talent should be a top priority for our public officials.

Take a moment to listen - Often times we do so much talking that we take little time to listen to what is being said to us. Mediators utilize storytelling methods for divided communities to be able to express who they are – their identity, history, what is important to them, etc. While certainly we don’t expect Capitol Hill to turn into a coffee house open mic night, public officials would do well to listen to the concerns, fears, and hopes of their counterparts. Each party, much like a cultural community, has its own myths, legends, and stories which shape a worldview. When all sides are aware of these identity structures, there is an opportunity to find common ground.

Allow the system to work from the top-down and the bottom-up – Conflict resolution strategies need to be implemented in all parts of society. Government officials need to set an example of working across party lines, while the public must also recognize common goals that unite them with their neighbors. By having an active civil society that is engaged with the government, the public can hold their leaders more accountable in working towards a common goal.

Make the institutions work – Many of the divided societies that are undergoing conflict resolution and transformation do not have strong institutions and government structures to allow progress to occur. Fortunately, the United States has a long tradition of democratic experience. What is important is that these systems continue to operate properly and transparently, allowing for consensus to be the norm, not the exception.

Be patient – Conflict resolution and building trust does not happen over night. It takes time and patience, and most importantly, concrete demonstrations of trust and goodwill. Words must be backed by actions.

Conflict resolution specialists will be quick to point out that there is no “cookie cutter” solution to solving conflict and building trust across fault lines. What works in Northern Ireland may not work in Sri Lanka or Lebanon (or Washington, DC for that matter). But the basic steps outlined above can be useful building blocks.

To be sure, healthy debate and dialogue should always be encouraged in a democracy. However, if the debate becomes so divisive and poisonous that it alienates the public and slows progress, the system begins to break down. The United States, which since World War II has attempted to set the standard for promoting liberty and freedom throughout the world, must continue to lead by example when it comes to the effectiveness of its institutions by demonstrating the benefits of a democratic system. By viewing politics through the lens of conflict resolution, rather than all-out warfare, our elected leaders have an opportunity to forge a positive future for all Americans, built on trust and common goals that unite, rather than divide, the citizens of this country.

The Real Gulf

A couple of weeks ago, A.O. Scott of the New York Times wrote a fascinating piece about the latest crop of "current affairs" films to hit theatres that deal with timely topics, i.e. the "war on terror." It is a great piece worth reading because it wrestles with the often difficult reconciliation between art and real life.

Another major issue he raises is whether or not the public will even go to see these films. The basic argument against making these types of movies is that people go to the movies to escape from real life, not to see it projected onto a huge screen. Unfortunately, however, for the majority of Americans, "real life" doesn't involve participating, debating, or even thinking about the current conflicts in Afghanistan or Iraq where young Americans face danger everyday. The "war on terror" is being fought by a tiny sliver of the American population while the rest of the country goes about its business.

William Quinn, a student at Georgetown University, and a veteran of the current Iraq war, wrote a powerful piece in this Sunday's Washington Post about his difficulties returning to civilian life after his experience in Iraq. Most disappointing was the attitude Georgetown students had towards his experience: "People on campus don't think about the war very much. It rarely comes up in coversation, either inside or outside the classroom...I find it frustrating that Facebook is a bigger part of most students' lives than the war." As an alum of Georgtown, I find this to be extremely disheartening. We can and should do better than this...

To read the A.O. Scott article, click here: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/28/movies/28scot.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

To read William Quinn's article, click here:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/11/09/AR2007110901569_pf.html

CSIS Conference Video

A conference I went to a few weeks ago (see "Red Light District of Business Cards") has just posted all the video from the conference on the web. It really was a fantastic event and I recommend checking out some of the video. Here are a few of my favorite panels:

Plenary Session 1, Ms. Irene Khan, Secretary General, Amnesty International

Workshop 1, The Evolution of Terrorist Tactics

Plenary Session 3, Integrated Response to Terrorist Violence

Plenary Session 5, West Bank Story director Ari Sandel

Plenary Session 6, Voices of the Victims

You can watch all the video at http://overcomingextremism.org/videos.htm

Go learn something.

Competition? Nope.

Okay, so I googled "DC Outsider" today. Very vain, indeed. But I wanted to see if the blog showed up. It only worked if I typed in "dc-outsider." The hypen is crucial. Anyhow, to my horror, I discovered another blog called the "DC Outsider" - not surprising really, but still, I thought I had something special going on. Fortunately, however, the site has not been updated since August 9, 2006 which, let's be honest, is ancient history in this city. The last entry was about the netroots going after Lieberman in the 2006 elections. A lot of good that did.

So, I'm happy to claim the official DC Outsider (R) blog on the web now that the other one appears defunct. Case closed. "Don't tell me I'm not the greatest, I'm the double-greatest" - Ali

Malawi Hearts Iran

My man Joe on the scene in Malawi has given me inside information about Malawi potentially joining that sought after empty spot on the "Axis of Evil" roster. With Iraq slipping from the list after Saddam's removal, the axis was wobbly, and tiny Malawi is apparently ready to fill in. Malawi President Bingu wa Mutharika allegedly sent a top-secret letter to Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad which stated, "Put me in coach. I'm ready to play."

Check out the full story here: http://www.nyasatimes.com/index.php?news=1550

Thanks for the inside scoop, Joe. America salutes you.

Tampa Bay Exorcises the Devil

I've been accused of not paying enough attention to the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in the blog (no, not really). But when I just found out that the team has recently exorcised the devil from the club with a new name (just "Rays"), new uniform (just "Rays"), and a new color ("blue"), I couldn't help but chuckle. For a team that went 66-96 this past season, why not give it a chance? And if running the devil out of town can do the trick, why not? According to Stuart Sternberg, the team's principal owner:

"I think this gives us as an organization and identity. It was something where we were tied to the past, and the past wasn't something we necessarily wanted to be known for. Nobody's running from it, or hiding from it, and we're proud of certain aspects of it. This is something the organization has really been able to put their arms around, and I'm hoping the fans will see it as a new beginning."

So good luck to the new "Rays." Though in all honesty, it probably makes more sense spending time and money on player development and recruitment rather than slapping new uniforms on a weak team. It makes me feel that maybe the Red Sox managment should have eliminated the "Red" from the team's name to vanquish any negative Communist influence that may have been preventing them from winning the World Series. Maybe it wouldn't have taken until 2004...

Words of Wisdom from Webb

I was out at George Mason University yesterday and happened upon a Democratic rally for the local elections that are being held today. Senator Webb was speaking when I stopped by, which was definitely exciting (notice he's not in the Ugly Politicians post - a good guy for sure, and he could probably kick my ass if he came across it)

Anyhow, he was trying to get the crowd pumped up about the elections held today and told a little story about how he was a boxer in his younger years. Can't remember the story word-for-word, but he said his trainer used to tell him, "It's not enough what you do in training. Training doesn't make you a winner. What matters is what you do in the ring when it really counts. It is you against the other guy." I thought that was a really powerful story - obviously better when he told it, but you get the point. All the education, reading, conferences, study abroad, whatever - what it really comes down to is what you can do when you're given the chance to make a difference. And I feel that I can apply that to what I'm going through with the job-hunt. No one is entitled to anything and the point is working hard to prove yourself. [cue "Rocky theme" music]

The Year in Review

There was an advertisement on the Metro the other day asking, "Do You Get Depressed in the Wintertime?" It was some study for seasonal depression syndrome or whatever it's called. And I thought about. "Yes, maybe I do..." But it's more the lack of baseball than lack of sunshine that does me in. Not being a big football fan - or basketball or hockey (but who is?) - means that the end of the baseball season usually forces me into sports hibernation until spring training.

So now that the champagne has been imbibed, the rolling rally has rolled, and the the hot stove is already burning (please keep Lowell!), I've decided to post my reflections on the baseball season, as seen through the eyes of this Sox fan. I remember the first day of the season back in April because I was in the Hague in the Netherlands and stopped into a Subway sandwich shop which had internet to check the score. Ouch, a 7-1 drubbing by the Royals. Not a great start, but then bookend the season with a glorious post-season and it all gets put in perspective. So from the Hague to Washington, DC via Dublin, Philadelphia, and Wildwood, NJ, it's funny how your year can be benchmarked by baseball. Here are some of my favorite (if not random) memories of the past few months:

- Watching the games on MLB.tv in Dublin. First pitch 7:05 pm East Coast time=12:05am Dublin time. Nothing brings you closer to a team than staying up through the night watching these games. And then there were those 10:05 West Coast starts...

- The "Pizza toss incident" (see below)



- Having a Red Sox / Yankees party in Dublin and walking home through the wee hours in the rain after a solid Sox victory at Fenway

- Watching the games at the arcade and trying to teach a co-worker from Russia the rules of baseball. Not as easy as it seems. "See, if the ball passes between the knees and the letters, and he doesn't swing..."

- Clay Bucholz no-hitter. A piece of history.

- Baltimore "Fenway South" weekend. With the exception of watching Dice-K give up a grandslam in the 2nd inning, a fantastic weekend at the park - and great time at the Inner Harbor.

- Finding a "new local" in Northern Virginia that just so happens to be a Sox bar, as well. Always great conversation in there. Need to stop by again soon even though the season's over.

- That surreal night when Boston clinched the AL East after the O's came back to beat the Yankees in Baltimore. In many ways, I was more anxious about the winning the division than taking the World Series. Being on top since April, anything less than winning the division would have felt like a let-down.

- Not a great night for the Sox, but watching Game 2 of the ALCS in the sports books of Treasure Island and the Venetian in Las Vegas. Free drinks in a casino = eased the pain of extra inning drubbing.

- The good luck shot of Sake mixed with beer which was ceremonially placed in front of the TV everynight since Game 7 of the ALCS.

- The Playoffs and World Series. Naturally. Only thing that would have made it sweeter would have been RemDawg and Don in the booth instead of those fools from Fox. (RemDawg = Legend)



- And all those little moments in between. Like I said, fun to look back between that day in the Hague and sitting here in DC. Times flies, but even faster when you've got a pennant race going on. So sign me up for Seasonal Depressional therapy.

But at least I know it will be gone by March...

The Silence is Deafening

First off, thanks so much for the great response about the blog. Glad to hear that all of you are doing well and staying out of trouble (for the most part) wherever you are. I've recognized I've strayed a bit from the "job hunt" theme at times, but why not?

This is definitely not a place to whine and complain, but I couldn't let this one go. I'm up to around 30 applications submitted to various think tanks, non-profits, and research organizations in the area. It's a fairly simple process.

1. Find opening

2. Write cover letter

3. Re-check the resume

4. Compile a writing samples (if necessary)

5. Attach to e-mail

6. Click "send"

And then my e-mail goes wherever e-mails go after you send them off. Unfortunately, it seems most of my e-mails end up in the trash heap of history (aka "the human resources department" of most of these places).

Now I certainly don't mind getting rejected. There are hundreds, if not thousands of people out there sending in applications, many of whom are probably better qualified than I am (though I like to think not).

All I'm asking for is a response...that you (non-profit/NGO/think-tank/museum) received my damn application.

I'm no computer whiz, but I don't think it's too difficult for these people to put an automatic kick-back response that says "yes, we received your application and recognize you exist."

I think I've received about three of these auto responses throughout the whole process, which I really do appreciate. Here's one (I've taken out the name of the organization - still waiting to hear from them):

"Thank you for expressing interest in the ********* internship program. We have received your internship application for the Spring 2008. In the next few weeks, we will be reviewing your materials to determine if your qualifications and background match our needs for the upcoming semester. Please do not respond to this email.If you have any questions, please contact us using the Message Center. Again, thank you for your interest in *********.

The Office of Human Resources"

Wow. That was really nice. I think I'm blushing. Getting a message from an e-mail robot can really go a long way for the self-esteem.

Anyhow, it's better than the tumbleweed which is currently blowing through my inbox. What is tumbleweed anyhow?

Irish Nostalgia, But from the Coors?

So I'm listening to the radio today and the Coors come on and I'm magically transported back to Ireland for a few moments...and then quickly come to my senses. Embarassing, yes. Of all the potential opportunities for Irish nostaligia in this country - Irish pubs, St. Patrick's Day, Ted Kennedy - it was a Coors song that brought back the memories. Well, I figured I would be honest and upfront about it.

To save some face, though, the Dropkick Murphys performance at the Red Sox rolling rally on Tuesday reminded me of a great night in Dublin in 2004 at the Temple Bar Music Centre - before being dropped on my head by a bunch of young punks in the crowd...