So, the Election Happened

President Donald Trump.  Yeah.  I don't believe it either.

I don't get it.

I don't even know where to start.  But a Facebook buddy of mine gave me a jumping off point...

My Kaepernick Take: Video Edition

A couple days later, I'm still worked up over this.  So I went on a little rant, and I decided it was more than I could get across with print.  So here's me, folks.

Oh Say Can You See the Flag From the Bench

Ah, a hot-button social issue.  My wheelhouse.

Friday night, San Francisco 49ers Quarterback Colin Kaepernick made a political statement protesting racism against African-Americans.  Specifically, the rash of killings of black people by police officers.

Taking a side on big issues isn't exactly a new thing for Kaepernick.  He's been outspoken on social media before.  But he ruffled some feathers by doing it differently Friday night:  he refused to stand during the playing of the national anthem.

Curbside Dropoffs: August Edition

It's been a while.  But some things are annoying me.  So let's throw some people off the bus the way Taylor Swift throws out lies.

Pee Where You Want -- As Long As the Wind Isn't Blowing At You

I can't believe that this has become the issue that it has. 

National store chain Target has enacted a policy that transgender people can use whichever restroom or fitting room matches their identity as they define it.  This allows people who identify as male to use the men's rooms, and people who identify as female to use the women's rooms.  This is so seemingly obvious, that of course, Christian America threw a shit fit. Boycott!!!

Curb-side Dropoffs

Sometimes it takes a while for me to work up enough venom to post a big rant on any one topic.  And sometimes there are a whole lot of little things annoying me, but none of them are enough to get a blog post of their own.  What a dilemma. 

So, it's the first ever installment of Curb-Side Dropoffs.  The quick-hitters.  The passengers I barely hit the emergency brake for before shoving them onto their front lawns.  Here goes:

Erin Andrews' Trip to Hell

If you have any access to TV, radio, or internet, you've no doubt become familiar with the Erin Andrews case.  But just in case you live in a cave (or you're a regular ShortBus customer), let me give you the short version:

TV sports reporter/personality/hottie Erin Andrews turned a lot of heads over the years.  Mine included.  Sports tends to be a pretty misogynistic realm, what with being driven primarily by dudes.  So it's pretty rare that a female sideline reporter gets to be on anyone's airwaves unless she's attractive.  And I must say -- Erin Andrews is pretty good at her job.  Oh, she's knowledgeable about sports, too.

Seriously -- it sucks for women that they're objectified for their looks to the degree that they are, but Erin Andrews, after drawing the male eyeballs, managed to actually impress us with her knowledge of the games she covered.  She's a damn good sideline reporter who takes pride in doing her job well.  But she is a pretty woman, and pretty women have to deal with a certain level of bullshit.  Pretty women who are public figures have to put up with more.

Erin Andrews got an industrial size pile of it.

Soccer's Version of Glenn Beck

Oye.  This is really a message board rant, but I'm worked up.  Bear with me.

I'm a big soccer fan.  And, as it happens, a BigSoccer fan.

BigSoccer is a gigantic soccer-devoted message board.  It draws fans of the beautiful game from all walks of life and all corners of the globe.  I've been there so long that I've achieved moderator status in a couple sections of it.  It's the first website I check every time I hit the net. 

And as anyone who's ever even been on the Internet can tell you, no matter what topic is being discussed, there's a lunatic fringe who believes something completely outrageous and completely nuts.  The go-to topic for these ShortBus regulars is promotion and relegation for American soccer.

And their insane leader is a schmuck named Ted Westervelt.