Smoke This Recession / It's simple: First we tax the booze. Then we legalize the pot. Done.

Smoke This Recession / It's simple: First we tax the booze. Then we legalize the pot. Done.

Now I am not a big pot smoker. Its been years since I had some, but this makes too much sense to work. I mean we have a heavily consumed product that we could easily tax and regulate.

There is an already established system with the Medicinal Marijuana clubs, plus the Amsterdam clubs that any true pot head is familiar with I am sure.

I mean, is weed seriously that socially scary that we are willing to look past its benefits to focus on the few negatives it brings.

I mean by legalizing it we might even diminish some of the ills that are caused by making it illegal. Drug Dealers would have to go legit, get licensed, have inspection, maybe not kill people in their lust for cash. Stuff like that. If it was legal, maybe I wouldn't look at my pot smoking friends with such disdain. They would simply be like my friends who smoke cigarettes or drink. Just one of the crew.

I don't know yet, I still need to think it through, but economically this country is definitely in need of a boost, and I bet a little bud might do. Plus have you ever gone through a recession...On WEED!!!

The Wonderful Power of Baseball

So, Arlene and Amianan(my only readers)

last night I got home and decided to check out a little bit of the All-Star game festivities. It was the Home Run derby and it was great. I turned it on just at the moment when Josh Hamilton was hitting. This is Josh Hamilton, the former #1 draft pick of the Tampa Bay Rays. But, Hamilton was not there representing the Rays. Hamilton plays for the Texas Rangers. The reason is that about 3 years ago, Hamilton was a heroin addict. He was on pills, alcohol and the forementioned heroin. He cleaned himself up with the help of his grandparents and family, and got back into the game and found a chance with the Cincinatti Reds. He did really well and now he leads the Majors in RBI's at the half. So he is participating in the derby and is absolutely on fire. He hits homer after homer, and at one point hits 13 homeruns between outs. He ends the round with 28 homers, a new record. He did not win the derby, but everyone was in awe of the story of Hamilton.

Cut to today and I am watching the All-Star game and it is a really great game. Good pitching, some timely hitting and great effort on all sides. The Giants represent with Brian Wilson getting two outs in the 8th inning, even though he gets taken out in the middle of the inning. Then the next pitcher proceeds to give up the tying run to the American League. Freaking bonehead National League Manager. And then the game keeps going. It goes past the 9th inning tied at 3. It goes to the 11th when Dan Uggla makes back to back errors and almost costs the National League the game, but Aaron Cook absolutely holds it down. He gets back to back ground balls to get the outs at home and preserve the game. Then the game keeps going. It goes past the 12th. Then the 14th. And as I write this its the 15th Inning. If it goes to the 16th it will be the longest game in All Star history. But, as I am writing, the American League has loaded the bases again. And then gets the winning run on a sacrifice fly. SHIT!!! American League wins again. ARGHRGIODGHGJNGNJG!$#%#%!!!!!!!!!

But what my post was supposed to be about was how I love watching baseball. Even when it pisses me off and makes me angry it is still better than other sports. It makes you think along with it and tests you to remember the situations and ponder the possibilities. Only in baseball are you not counting against a clock. You are always in the game, even when you are way down and all seems lost. You are not lost until the final out is made. A small rally can turn into a big one and you are never really out of it. This is not so in games where you are fighting against the clock.

Josh Hamilton is baseball because he was almost out of the game and it seemed that it was over, but he rallied back and now has gotten back into the action. It was not over until the final strike! And he did not allow it to get there. I love this game

Hard to get away from that!

So,

Its been a while since I have posted to this blog, and I know there are a ton of things that you need me to talk about and expand upon, but its tough when you have a kid as cute as mine. I mean don't take it from me, just look at the proof right here.

You see. Its tough to not want to just focus your attention on her all the time. I will however make the effort to get my blog on the right track. I mean my wife has had her blog for less than a month and already she has a ton of posts and even some people leaving comments. Its nuts!

So I make this challenge to anyone and everyone who might still take a look at my blog. Send me a note, so that I know you are still out there, and I will start writing up a storm.

Youth or Experience?

So, this was a very frustrating weekend if you are a Giants fan. As most fans know the Giants are caught in this weird zone of playing some young players, while still having some older guys on the squad as well. It makes completely rebuilding the team an interesting assignment. The Giants have great starting pitching for the most part, at least if you mean young pitchers. We've got Matt Cain, Jonathan Sanchez and Tim Lincecum pitching pretty well this year. Lincecum is having a Cy Young award type year. But then we talk about Mr. Barry Zito, who signed a $126 Million contract with the Giants last year and has pitched like a guy who has not a freaking clue. Its the most frustrating thing in the world to see a guy try to nibble with all of these hitters, and know that he just doesn't have it to get them out. The guy is paid more than every other pitcher out there, yet he plays like he's a rookie.



Then our experienced guys are not the world beaters that you would think. They are putting up semi-good numbers, yet we are still 10 games under .500. In other words, its hopeless!!

I say we go young, in the positions where we know the guys are gonna be gone next year. Rich Aurilia, GONE! Omar Vizquel, TAKE A SEAT! Ray Durham, SCRAM!!, Barry Zito, SHIT!!

The Newest Addition to the Family...Soluna!!

So, I've been a bit busy the last few months. Me and the wife had to deal with the birth of our first child. Oh yeah!!! Soluna Laya Ibarra-Tacdol was born on December 23rd. Since then, we've been busy feeding, changing, putting to bed, feeding, changing, consoling, bathing and simply enjoying our little girl. She's great. And has made my blogging a very unimportant thing at the moment. But now with a little more room to breathe from all the new baby emotions, I wanted to get back to the posting.

Here is a collection of her best poses so far.

And then

An honest take on "The Wire"

Do YOU have HBO OnDemand?

Yes?

Then if you haven't already, do yourself a favor and start watching The Wire as they will be airing all four seasons leading up to the fifth and final season, premiering in January. The first six episodes of season one should be up there right now.If you are my friend it is because I think you are smart, funny, and you've touched my life in one meaningful way or another. Which is why I think you should give this show a shot, because it is without question the smartest, most touching, most compelling television show I have ever seen. And it's incredibly funny.Find out why this show is always at the top of critics' Best Of lists every year. Find out why artistic luminaries from Nick Hornby to Stephen King to Spike Lee to Snoop Doggy Dogg to Jay-Z call this show their favorite show of all time. Man, just watch it already.

And if you watch the first six episodes and don't like it, I'll buy you ice cream.

BACK from Mexico and READY for the Fall TV Lineup

Well Everyone,

The wifey and I returned from our wonderful vacation and have been pretty busy working, and simply preparing for the baby that is set to arrive in about 3 months. We are excited and anxious about what the future will bring. If you have name suggestions for both a boy or a girl then I am all ears.

Other than that we were in the last lap of our "summer of weddings". To date this year we have been to 5 weddings with another this weekend. By now we are simply amazed by all the weddings and how much people like to drink at them.

Last week was my mom's 50th birthday, and then two days later the wifey and I celebrated our ONE YEAR anniversary! Many congrats should go out to the lovely lady, who has actually put up with me.

On to the FALL TV LINEUP!!

Shows to watch

• REAPER--On the CW network about a slacker guy who turns 21, only to find out that his parents had sold his soul to the devil, so now he has to work for Lucifer. Really funny. And actually has a Latino character as one of the sidekicks
• HEROES--Interested in seeing where the 2nd season takes all of the characters and how much of the backstory gets filled in. I am still a slight hesitant about the show because the first season could have been trimmed down and would have still given us the same amount of content. Lots of going back to stuff we have already been shown in previous shows. Definitely for lazy viewers who miss weeks.
• Its Always Sunny In Philadelphia--Great Comedy that just goes for the sick and gross jokes that most shows would not touch.
• 30 ROCK--Recently won the Emmy for Best Comedy and I thought it deserved it. Alec Baldwin, Tina Fey, Tracy Morgan and the page Kenneth are hilarious. Great show about office dynamics with lots of side jokes and sight gags. Alec Baldwin was robbed for Best Actor. Great comedic timing.
• Fuck it, THE WIRE--The Best show on Television that no one has seen. Its not on right now, but the final season starts in January supposedly and I am just waiting to see what happens with McNulty, Omar, Bunk, Lester and the Barksdalies, as well as the boys from Season 4. I wholeheartedly agree with the writers who call this the greatest piece of drama ever put to television. I am ordering you to watch the 1st season, NOW! If you like reading novels, the simply picture this show as a novel and you will be in the right mind set. If you don't like shows that carry a story, then F you, you mental midget.
• A few others that I will write about later

DVD/Netflix/Blockbuster Recommendations

• THE WIRE--Seasons 1-4-See above
• DEADWOOD-Seasons 1-3 A great example of why HBO is the best network for drama and storytelling. You will love the dialogue, if you are okay with lots of swearing and 1880's speech patterns. A great show with great individual performances.
• FREAKS and GEEKS--1 Season--A truer depiction of the harshness and hope that exists in highschool I have never seen. The characters are awesome and hilarious at times.
• THE OFFICE--The original British Version of the show, hilarious but it makes you want to leave the room at times, because of how good the characters are in making you cringe at the ridiculousness of the office that they work in.

Well that is it for now, but I will return and give you more info on what I see as good tv, movies sports and everything else. Please feel free to e-mail or respond if you would like.

Benjamin