If you look [at the Occupy protests], not just nationwide, but worldwide, you will see some pretty consistent themes developing. Those themes include: we have to deal with the systemically dangerous institutions, the 20 biggest banks that the administration is saying are ticking time bombs, that as soon as one of them fails, we go back into a global crisis. We should fix that. There’s no reason to have institutions that large. That’s a theme. That accountability is a theme, that we should put these felons in prison… That we should get jobs now, and that we should deal with the foreclosure crisis. So those are four very common themes that you can see in virtually any of these protest sites… I think, over time, you won’t necessarily have some grand written agenda, but you’ll have, as I say, increasing consensus. And it’s a very broad consensus.

(h/t ql @ Eschaton)

And how are things working out for you Mr. Selig (warning- NY Post link)?  From a more reputable source–

(T)he overnight ratings for the Series – which have dwindled over the years – were 8 percent below last year’s overnights for Game 1. Fox can only hope the Fall Classic will go beyond four or five games, because interest substantially builds for sixth and seventh games(.)

Last year’s five-game Series averaged 14.2 million viewers – the second-lowest after 13.6 million in 2008. In 2009, the New York Yankees-Philadelphia Phillies series drew 19.4 million viewers.

Your shouldn’t really need any other reasons to hate on the Rangers, but just in case–

“With all due respect to the Cardinals and their legendary fan base, it’s really their bad luck that they’re running up against the Texas Rangers, a team of destiny poised to win the World Series,” Perry said in a statement. “The Cardinals have had a great run, but this is about the here and now, and as Gov. Nixon and his fellow Missourians are about to discover, you simply can’t mess with Texas.”

Didn’t look too much like a team of destiny last night.

Even if the Cardinals win again today, a 2 – 0 deficit is not impossible to overcome though a Red Bird loss will force them to win a game in Arlington (which they should be planning on anyway).  However a Rangers loss will send them home looking plenty vincible.  It would be the same way they opened against the Giants last year when they were gone in 5.

The Cardinals will be starting Jaime Garcia, the Rangers Colby Lewis.  On paper this is a mismatch, Garcia is 0 – 2 in the post season with a 5.74 ERA and Lewis has a 4 – 1 record and 2.37.

On the other hand the Rangers still have a Pujols problem and the Cardinals have been particularly effective against right handers (remember, the Rangers only have a single lefty in the Bullpen) while the Rangers are unimpressive against leftys.

About that Senior/Junior League stuff–

Part of the NL strategy, though, is not just filling out the lineup card. It’s getting your players into the game in the high-leverage moments that decide the outcome.

…

(I)n what turned out to be the Rangers’ last gasp, that seventh inning, Washington pinch hit Craig Gentry for David Murphy and then Esteban German for pitcher Alexi Ogando.

Both struck out. Gentry seemed overmatched, not only by lefty Marc Rzepczynski but also by the moment. German, meanwhile, hadn’t batted in nearly a month.

Left unused was the Rangers’ best right-handed bat on the bench, Yorvit Torrealba.

…

In the merry-go-round of pinch hitters and relievers that inning, Rangers reliever Alexi Ogando’s night was wasted by only facing two batters.

It’s not rocket science, this National League stuff. They have books and things.

It’s hardly an earthshattering insight that these 2 teams have made it into the Series with some similar strengths and a shared glaring weakness.

The strengths are offense and relief pitching, the weakness is starting pitching.  The Rangers have not had a single win from any of their starters, the Cardinals but one from Chris Carpenter who starts tonight opposed by C.J. Wilson.

There are two other slight advantages for the Red Birds.  They have 2 leftys in the Bullpen while the Rangers have but one, and they have home field advantage.

Beware the Rally Squirrel!

Now most of the Sports Media (who rival our bootlicking punditry in laziness and stupidity) are picking the Rangers to win, but I think that the above advantages give the Cardinals the edge.  A Senior League team gets marginally stronger in a Junior League park playing Designated Hitter Derby, but a Junior League team gets noticeably weaker in Senior League venues- they give up both offense (the pitcher, most of whom can’t even lay down a bunt) AND defense as they lose a glove so an aging and slow DH can play a position they haven’t practiced at all season.

I predict the Cardinals in 6 or less.

This should explain a lot for you if you’re confused.

They’re Back: Obamabots Fan Out in Defense of their Hero

By Taylor Marsh

18 October 2011

What Glenn is describing in the top quote (link) is a virulent strain of what I call fan politics, which is most visibly seen today by Obamabots, as they’ve been called around here since 2007. Greenwald has been attacked on this site (Taylor Marsh) by them, as has Mr. Krugman. Fan politics is about people, like the Obamabots, who support a politician regardless of the policies he or she delivers upon, thinking anyone finding fault in their candidate of choice is committing some larger sin for not following in line. Fan politics is particularly destructive because it demands party loyalty take the place of political dialogue, party trumping principle.

…

Die hard party loyalists don’t seem to get there is a undulating political upheaval slowly taking place, which has been happening on the right for several years, with the left joining in, the foundation of their discontent the continued drag right of the Democratic Party, which began under William Jefferson Clinton. What saved Clinton from the wrath being felt today, besides the fact that new media hadn’t matured, was the courage he had to launch the largest tax increase in decades, though Lawrence O’Donnell claims it was the biggest ever, which, along with the tech boom, led to peacetime prosperity for everyone.

…

(T)he background of the left’s discontent is the belief that if Obama is reelected he will tinker with the New Deal, because he won’t have anything to lose, with his legacy of accomplishments his only priority. But as we’re seeing with health care, as the Administration scuttles Teddy Kennedy’s CLASS, not even Obama’s accomplishments are safe, because of the ramshackle way ACA was designed. Obama also seems to believe, joining conservative Democrats and Republics, that entitlement “reform” should be a priority, leaving most to rightly think that whether it’s a Democrat or Republican in the White House in 2012, the people’s safety net will be weakened.

…

What is at the root of Obamabot invective, however, is the palpable fear and realization that Pres. Obama could actually lose in 2012. This is a stunner for them, especially considering where Barack Obama started his presidency.

But now the President’s fans have their own egos attached to him and the thought of Obama losing is scaring the crap out of them. Their goal to get Obama reelected now tied to not being proved wrong about him, but also to protect gloating rights, never mind that the current choices from either party leave a lot to be desired. The sad truth is there isn’t very much difference between Barack Obama and Mitt Romney that will be felt by people. For Obamabots, it’s not just about Pres. Obama winning reelection in 2012. It’s not about their belief that Barack Obama will champion greater policies in a second term. There is no evidence he will. Obama’s reelection is now also about them. It’s personal, not political or policy driven.

Fan politics for the sake of the politician being supported is always toxic. It also usually disappoints. Just ask the bookend to the Obamabots, die hard fans of Sarah Palin.

Emphasis and some references provided.

What are those OWS people so angry about?

By Glenn Greenwald, Salon

Monday, Oct 17, 2011 9:12 AM Eastern Daylight Time

(G)rowing wealth and income inequality, by itself, would not spark massive protests if there were a perception that the top 1% (more accurately thought of as the top .1%) had acquired their gains honestly and legitimately. Americans in particular have been inculcated for decades with the belief that even substantial outcome inequality is acceptable (even desirable) provided that it is the by-product of fairly applied rules. What makes this inequality so infuriating (aside from the human suffering it is generating) is precisely that it is illegitimate: it is caused and bolstered by decisively unfair application of laws and rules, by undemocratic control of the political process by the nation’s oligarchs, and by a full-scale shield of immunity that allows them – and only them – to engage in the most egregious corruption and even criminality without any consequence (other than a further entrenching of their prerogatives and ill-gotten gains).

Anyone who expressed difficulty seeing or understanding what motivates these protests revealed many things about themselves. None is flattering. The only thing that’s surprising is that these protests didn’t happen sooner and that they’re not more widespread and intense. I think it’s become increasingly clear that that is likely to change, and soon. Like the Arab Spring, the rapid growth of these protests should be a permanent antidote against defeatism. It’s unclear what these protests will accomplish – that still depends on how many people join them and what they cause it to be – but, already, they prove that the possibility always exists for subverting even the most seemingly invulnerable power factions. That hasn’t happened yet, but the possibility that these protests are only in their incipient stages is one of the more exciting and positive political developments in some time. It’s been clear for quite awhile that unrest and disruptions – and the fear which they alone can put in the hearts and minds of those responsible for widespread ills – are absolute prerequisites for meaningful reform (our fundamentally corrupted electoral process certainly can’t and won’t accomplish that). These protests at least reflect the possibility, the template, for that to happen. And anyone expressing confusion about why these protests are erupting is almost certainly someone invested in keeping things exactly the way they are.

Losing Their Immunity

By PAUL KRUGMAN, The New York Times

Published: October 16, 2011

(T)he financialization of America wasn’t dictated by the invisible hand of the market. What caused the financial industry to grow much faster than the rest of the economy starting around 1980 was a series of deliberate policy choices, in particular a process of deregulation that continued right up to the eve of the 2008 crisis.

Not coincidentally, the era of an ever-growing financial industry was also an era of ever-growing inequality of income and wealth. Wall Street made a large direct contribution to economic polarization, because soaring incomes in finance accounted for a significant fraction of the rising share of the top 1 percent (and the top 0.1 percent, which accounts for most of the top 1 percent’s gains) in the nation’s income. More broadly, the same political forces that promoted financial deregulation fostered overall inequality in a variety of ways, undermining organized labor, doing away with the “outrage constraint” that used to limit executive paychecks, and more.

Oh, and taxes on the wealthy were, of course, sharply reduced.

All of this was supposed to be justified by results: the paychecks of the wizards of Wall Street were appropriate, we were told, because of the wonderful things they did. Somehow, however, that wonderfulness failed to trickle down to the rest of the nation – and that was true even before the crisis. Median family income, adjusted for inflation, grew only about a fifth as much between 1980 and 2007 as it did in the generation following World War II, even though the postwar economy was marked both by strict financial regulation and by much higher tax rates on the wealthy than anything currently under political discussion.

…

Money talks in American politics, and what the financial industry’s money has been saying lately is that it will punish any politician who dares to criticize that industry’s behavior, no matter how gently – as evidenced by the way Wall Street money has now abandoned President Obama in favor of Mitt Romney. And this explains the industry’s shock over recent events.

You see, until a few weeks ago it seemed as if Wall Street had effectively bribed and bullied our political system into forgetting about that whole drawing lavish paychecks while destroying the world economy thing. Then, all of a sudden, some people insisted on bringing the subject up again.

And their outrage has found resonance with millions of Americans. No wonder Wall Street is whining.

I won’t pretend to be happy about the Rangers win and whether or not the Cardinals do the same tonight I’ll have a day off on Tuesday before the start of the World Series on Wednesday, though I am rooting for the Birds because of Scott Walker whom my Dad points out (because he’s favoring the Brewers) the Crew is not responsible for.

I’ll also get to post S.I.M.P. video so many times you’ll be as sick of it as I am.

In tonight’s Battle of the Beers (when I drink it, it’s seldom Dos Equis), the Brewers are going to be hoping to solve their Pujols problem with Shaun Marcum who’s so far shown no indications of meriting their confidence.  The Cardinals will counter with Edwin Jackson and then rely on their freshly rested Bullpen just as they have all series (if Jackson is pulled before the 5th they will have a majority of outs).

There are those who think reserving Gallardo on short rest for a hypothetical Game 7 is a mistake and we will no doubt hear from them should things go badly, but I think your energy is better spent hating on the Rangers.

I apologize to my Texan readers and realize that there are pockets of sanity and personal circumstances that dictate residence, but I have very little good to say about a State created to preserve slavery when the Mexican government outlawed it.

I won’t pretend to be happy about the Rangers win and whether or not the Cardinals do the same tonight I’ll have a day off on Tuesday before the start of the World Series on Wednesday, though I am rooting for the Birds because of Scott Walker whom my Dad points out (because he’s favoring the Brewers) the Crew is not responsible for.

I’ll also get to post S.I.M.P. video so many times you’ll be as sick of it as I am.

In tonight’s Battle of the Beers (when I drink it, it’s seldom Dos Equis), the Brewers are going to be hoping to solve their Pujols problem with Shaun Marcum who’s so far shown no indications of meriting their confidence.  The Cardinals will counter with Edwin Jackson and then rely on their freshly rested Bullpen just as they have all series (if Jackson is pulled before the 5th they will have a majority of outs).

There are those who think reserving Gallardo on short rest for a hypothetical Game 7 is a mistake and we will no doubt hear from them should things go badly, but I think your energy is better spent hating on the Rangers.

I apologize to my Texan readers and realize that there are pockets of sanity and personal circumstances that dictate residence, but I have very little good to say about a State created to preserve slavery when the Mexican government outlawed it.

A few interesting tidbits before we start.  Vettel won’t suffer a penalty for blowing off a corner in Q3.  I suppose the reason is he had already set a lap fast enough for his 2nd position on the grid.  The stewards promise stern punishments for anyone else who attempts it.  Red Bull used all Super Softs during Qualifying so they’re committed to an early pit and will then try and run long.  Since the Supers take 3 or 4 laps to get to speed anyway and fall off quite quickly this probably not a handicap.

Ross Brawn of Mercedes vehemently denies the team is violating spending limits and then says they’re poorly written and porous.  He also claims teams are extorting other teams that want to change their names.

They’re re-writing the ‘one defensive move rule’ to basically disallow any defensive moves at all.

Both Button and Hamilton are pooh-poohing the idea that Button is taking over the lead position on McLaren and trying to get next year’s car designed around his driving style, however no team is wasting any time on this season which is done.  All that’s left is the race for second place.

There is no rain forecast.  At the moment it appears Ricciardo will start.

• F1: Yeongam Qualifying
• Formula One Official Site
• Speed Racecast

Rebroadcast at 11:30 am.  Not so pretty tables below.

There is really no reason to be hopeful about the Tigers’ chances against the Rangers tonight, down 3 – 2, playing away, except for the pitching.

The Rangers will be starting Derek Holland who has been in a word, terrible.  In the 2nd Game he wasn’t able to get out of the 3rd inning, Max Scherzer on the other hand went 6.

The day off after so many rain delays followed by consecutive starts may have allowed the Tigers to get a little better rested and healthier too.

IF (and it’s a big one) the Grrs squeak by and into Game 7 the matchup gets even better.  Game 7 is scheduled to be Colby Lewis against Doug Fister.  Lewis was decidedly underwhelming in his Game 3 appearance.

On the other hand the travel day gave the Ranger’s bullpen a rest too after covering some 23 innings in the first 5 games (that’s a little under half) during which their collective ERA has been 1.17.

So expect the hook quick and if the record is any guide I’ll have plenty of time to write my Yeongam Formula One piece (1:30 am) during the 123 late innings.

So I missed practice yesterday but evidently I didn’t miss much since it all took place in the rain, though because you only get 3 sets of Wets and Inters for the whole damn weekend some teams could be in tire trouble if it stays damp.

In any event there was very little testing that could actually be done and McLaren’s dominance is no indicator of anything.  Button had to switch his car since the carbon fiber is deteriorated.  Serves him right for talking trash about Vettel and Hamilton.

Yeongam is actually one of the more interesting tracks with a nice long straight between turns 2 and 3.  Unlike last year when they were rushing to finish it and the possibility of a Daytona tarmac malfunction existed this year should see little drama.

That little you will find below.