Thoughts for the Day, November 7, 2022: Vote on Tuesday

Tomorrow is election day.  In all my years, I do not recall a mid-term election that has been so contentious as this one, both on the state and national level. It is further complicated, by the many referendums across the nation dealing with abortion, which brings out emotion and passion from all sides. 

I for one am tired and worn out emotionally.  Since August 2015, politics as I knew it has not been the same. The influence of Trump and the MAGA followers has turned politics upside down.  Their influence is taking over politics at all levels.  Prior rules of politics have been thrown out the window. Extremists are influencing both parties to the point that centrist are considered the enemy. Loyalty only last for the moment and can change instantly. It is much different than the rise of the “tea party”, which was about concerns of how our country was handling the recession and tax increases. 

I am going to be watching closely how election results are going to be accepted by those coming out on the short end of the ballot count.  Will the number of election deniers increase and will there being a major increase in election results being challenged in court as was done in the 2020 presidential race?

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Last night Eminem was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame at a induction ceremony in Los Angeles.  Also inducted were Dolly Parton, Lionel Richie, Carly Simon, Duran Duran, Pat Benatar, and the Eurythmics.  All of them are very worthy inductees, but none more than Eminem who I consider a musical genius.  I have been a fan for over 20 years, when his first songs My Name Is and Slim Shady first hit the charts.  Other songs on my play list include Cleaning out My Closet and Stan, which has been recorded with Dido, Elton John and many others. These are all great songs, but nothing compares to Lose Yourself, which I consider one of the greatest songs ever.  I am not alone in that praise of the song.

“Lose Yourself” was from the soundtrack of the movie “8 mile”. It won the Academy Award for Best Original Song, making it the first hip hop song to receive the award, and also won the Grammy Award for Best Rap Song and Best Rap Solo Performance.[2] In 2004, it was one of only three hip hop songs from the 21st century to be included on Rolling Stone‘s list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time, being the highest ranked at number 166. Rolling Stone also included it on its list of the Top 50 Hip Hop Songs of All Time. “Lose Yourself” is certified Diamond by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA),[3] and has been downloaded 10 million times in the United States alone.[4] Eminem performed Lose Yourself at the 2020 Academy Awards and alongside fellow American rapper Anderson .Paak (on drums) in the Super Bowl LVI halftime show on February 13, 2022. It also was the song used for Chrysler’s 2011 Super Bowl Commercial introducing the Chrysler 200. See my Video of the Day

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I do not recall a sports night like the one that occurred on Saturday November 5.  I spent the whole night flipping stations between four sporting events.  My primary focus was on the Michigan/Rutgers game, but I was using my phone to track the World Series, the LSU/Alabama game, and the Notre Dame/Clemson game.  As a result, I was also flipping channels based on what was happening.  Fortunately, I was able to see the three TDs Michigan scored in less than 3 minutes. I caught Alvarez’s three-run homerun in the World Series, which was the hardest hit baseball I have ever seen. See my Bonus Video of the Day.  Finally, I saw LSU’s two-point conversion in the first overtime to beat Alabama.  See my Bonus Bonus Video of the Day.

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Elections Matter. Pray for peace and tolerance. What are you doing to stop the violence

Quote of the Day: “If you asked me, ‘Hey, I’m going to give you one play and if you’re successful on that one play, you beat Alabama,’ I would’ve taken that 100 times out of 100,” LSU head coach, Brian Kelly, when asked why he chose to go for a two-point conversion rather than kicking a game tying extra point in the first overtime of their game with Alabama.

Orchid of the Day: All those who vote in tomorrow’s election

Onion of the Day:  The 2-minutes of commercials that occurred between LSU’s touchdown and prior to the two-point conversion.  It took away the element of surprise that LSU was trying to gain.

Question of the Day: Was Brian Kelly’s decision to go for a two-point conversion a smart call on his part?

Video/Image of the Day:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GLxtVipOeBI