Jay Kersting's Blog

Years ago, there was a plan to build a new stadium for the New York Yankees in Manhattan.  That was, for some reason, scrapped.

Next year, a new Yankee Stadium opens in The Bronx next to the existing Yankee Stadium.  

Let me open by saying that I never made it to Yankee Stadium.  Honestly, I never really wanted to go.  Sure, I would have loved to have been there to see the Royals back in the ALCS games, despite the losses, back in the 1970's.  I would have loved to have been there on 10 October 1980 to see the Royals finally get an American League Championship when they beat the Yankees on George Brett's upper deck home run off of Rich Gossage.

And I would have enjoyed being there for the All-Star Game back in July.  

But otherwise, I never got all that excited about going there.  In fact during the one time I was in New York, I never even made it to The Bronx.  I arrived in Queens, stayed in Manhattan, took the subway to Brooklyn due to a mistake by our group leader AND the re-routing caused by the World Trade Center being destroyed (this WAS December 2001).  Just didn't care.

So, as you hear about the history of this building following the final baseball game being played there, know that not everyone wished they had gone.

Aside from a few key games, there was really nothing there for me.

Sorry, it is a "passing" that is of casual interest to me.  But there is no regret here. 

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I am not suprised, but at the same time, I am surprised.  At what, you ask?

How about economics?

People that I otherwise think of as fairly intelligent, show that they are little more than partisan drooling mouth breathers when it comes to this topic.

The economy is a topic that is OVER simplified by many to score political points.  This was exaggerated to the point of deception by the Clinton campaign back in 1992.  And it led to campaign lies about tax cuts that never came.

But that is because people are gullible when it comes to things that they do not understand.

Here is what you need to know, IF....BIG IF...you can shake off your preconceived political leanings long enough to UNDERSTAND it.

The person who deserves the most credit and the most blame for our economic booms and economic woes all comes to one person.

The Chairman of the Federal Reserve.

And I do not mean that Ben Bernanke made everything go to hell because he could not replace the duct tape that Alan Greenspan put up as quickly as it failed.

But rather, the blame goes to Greenspan himself.  

Greenspan's manipulations of the interest rates while serving as Fed Chairman led to a lot of good things for a short time, but when things went sour last year with the home loan markets he needs to get the blame.

The problem with the economy is that too many people know too little about economics.  THAT is what ALLOWS the polticians to manipulate them/you.  They play to your FEARS.  They play to your UNCERTAINTIES and they play to your DOUBTS.

And, because it is easier to buy in to a slogan on a bumper sticker than it is to LEARN something, we get lied to (back to those promised tax cuts from 1992).

Who is to blame?  The polticians?

Nope.  We the People are to blame.  Our collective IGNORANCE has let them get away with it.

So when you see the Democrats point fingers at Republicans, while they wheel bucketloads of money in to each others homes, know that they are as much too blame as the Republicans that they accuse.  Fannie Mae and Freddy Mac were led by Democrat appointees....and WE are paying thos big bonues that have been given to Jim Johnson and Franklin Raines.

And when you see the Republicans pointing their fingers back at the Democrats, while they have their own versions of Johnson and Raines carrying luggage full of cash back to their homes, know also that they are as much too blame as the Democrats that they accuse.  And yeah, we are paying for that too.

Simply put, who is to blame?  We the People.

Now that you may have a better understanding of what the problems are, what are you going to do about it?

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Speaking of heads in the sand, I think a lot of people in Knoxville wonder if the coaching staff at the University of Tennessee has theirs in the sand....or somewhere a little closer to home....but still lower than belt level.

Jonathan Crompton is not the answer. 

Unless the question is who can best lead the Volunteers to another losing season.

However, despite the fact that Crompton seems to have hands better suited for churning butter...and maybe they have been...the other problem is a constant.  TACKLING!!!!

Back in 2001, I was covering the Volunteers and I noticed that the basic concept of WRAPPING UP and bringing an opponent to the ground seemed to be missing.  I saw a great tackle on Friday at the Jays game.  In the little bits of the Vols game that I saw before nausea kicked in, I didn't see any.

It is easy to blame a quarterback who was changing the oil on the coaches car before the game.  But the real blame can fall on the coaches themselves....especially when the team simply looks unprepared.

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Have a great week.  Find a way, really.  And when YOU do, let me know how you pulled it off.

Oh and for something odd, and possibly challenging, check this out.