The Kind-Hearted Smart Aleck

Thursday Game: Buffalo at Cleveland Pick: Cleveland - I think this is the first time I've picked Cleveland this year. I just think coming off two consecutive victories, and with the game at home during a shortened week, it gives the Browns an edge heading into this game. Also, the strength of the team is on the defensive side of the ball, so look for Cleveland to frustrate rookie quarterback E.J. Manuel to the point of a couple turnovers. I like for the Browns to win by 3 or 4. Result: Cleveland 37 Buffalo 24 Record: 1-0 Sunday Game: New Orleans at Chicago Pick: Chicago - With New Orleans coming off a Monday night home game, it gives them one less day to prepare for their road trip to Chicago. Even though the Bears did their best Pittsburgh Steelers impression with as much as they turned the ball over in their loss to Detroit over the weekend, they still only lost by 8 points. Look for Jay Cutler to play a better game and for the Bears defense to play extra angry after...

- Joe Flacco may be the luckiest guy in the NFL. - Chip Kelly misses those college teams. - The New York Jets appear to make it a requirement for all quarterback applicants that they be willing to partake in a butt-fumble at least once in their careers. - Philip Rivers could never be a mime or a hypnotherapist. - If Tampa Bay were up by 17 points with three minutes to go, they'd find a way to lose. - Matt Schaub may just want to run into the back of the end zone for a safety if he wants to give his opponent points. - The NFC East will soon be called the NFC Least. - It's Tony Romo's dream for the Cowboys to always be a .500 team with him at the helm. - Peyton Manning is making "video game numbers" look bad. - Eli Manning may want the rules altered to where the Giants offense can have 21 people on the field - 10 of whom are linemen.

I got to talking to someone last week about how man and women tend to think differently. While men tend to be more black-and-white thinkers, women tend to think more in shades of grey, and while men seem to be more inclined to do their thinking and expressing with their mind(s - yes, the lower one at times too), women tend to exude more emotion when it comes to expression. These generalizations are just that, of course, since I know some women whom don't exude much emotion and tend to think in black-and-white terms, and know some men, such as myself, whom tend to think more in shades of grey. While she didn't dismiss the notion that these observations are generally accurate, she said guys tend to be more shades-of-grey thinkers with the topic of sex. She then rattled off some examples, such as, "Guys will say, 'It's not cheating if the woman is in a different area code or zip code.' That's not black-or-white thinking at all." At this, I had to chuckl...

I can't say I was very surprised by the 52-20 beat-down the undefeated Denver Broncos handed the now 1-3 Philadelphia Eagles, but was surprised by how the game progressed. The Eagles were quite competitive through thirty minutes of play and things would have been even tighter at halftime if they made the most of their red-zone opportunities. The team wasn't at all competitive in the second half, though - to the point where FOX switched games and backups were placed in all across the board. While the Eagles offense piled up a lot of yards and didn't turn the ball over, they converted just two of five red-zone opportunities into touchdowns, while the Broncos were a perfect five for five in the red zone. The Eagles were fairly solid on the ground - combining to run for 166 yards on 35 carries (4.7 per). LeSean McCoy led the way with 73 yards on 16 carries (4.6 per). Michael Vick and later Nick Foles spread the ball around fairly nicely, as ten different receivers aught at le...

It seems that often times when one is feeling overwhelmed in life and he or she is confronted on a mistake they made, an all too common resort is for them to say, "I can't do anything right, can I?" or "I'm always wrong, aren't I?" I've heard several people resort to this and I'm just curious on how common it actually is. I can understand why people would resort to these phrases. It comes across to me as a person reaching their breaking point and temporarily raising the white flag through vocal means as perhaps somewhat of a defense mechanism or an outward cry for sympathy. I think most everyone reaches such a point at least once in their lives, so this kind of thinking and response is quite understandable. However, I also feel it's kind of counterproductive, for when one raises the white flag like that, the issue they were confronted about likely won't get discussed, and what prompted the confrontation in the first place is more likely...

If my relationship ultimately doesn't work out, I may try to start a new trend and date either a straight guy or a lesbian. We seem to understand one another more than people I'm attracted to - heterosexual women. We could just chill, watch football, drink beer (a Jack and Coke for me), listen to rock music, and not ever worry about sex, because there wouldn't be any - between us anyway. Of course, if those cravings arose, we'd have to go elsewhere and that could complicate matters. Him: "Dude, I'm doing somebody." Me: "Yeah, I know." Him: "I think I'm in love." Me: "Crap. So, where's this leave us?" Him: "Where we've always been - best friends, except I'm going to move in with her." Me: "::sighs:: I knew this would happen. Aren't I good enough for you?" Him: "Well, aren't you doing somebody too?" Me: "No" Him: "Are you gay or something?...

I'm having trouble understanding the Tea Party or people whom would vote for them. The Tea Party has essentially taken the Republican Party hostage, and in turn, has attempted to take the U.S. economy hostage through the threat of a government shutdown. The Tea Party does not seem to believe in government, so why would a person who doesn't believe in government run for office? I'm not a religious person. You're not going to see me apply to be the pastor at a church. Do some voters think, "Well, they hate government as much as I do, so I might as well vote for them!"? Yet how would that really make sense? Do such politicians and voters want this country to fail? Would it be wise to hire teachers whom hate teaching and think the practice should be abolished? Would it be smart to hire cops and firefighters whom think people should just take care of themselves and not ever contact them in case of an emergency? Would it be good to hire doctors whom don't be...

I can think of two reasons the House GOP wants Obamacare delayed for a year: 1) They fear it'll work and hinder their chances in the midterm elections (and beyond) and 2) They want to be able to use this to rile their base for those very midterms. Historically, traditional Republican voters tend to show at the polls for midterm elections with more regularity than Democratic voters. If Obamacare gets delayed for a year, what do you suppose the GOP will spend most of their time discussing in ads and elsewhere? "If you elect us, we'll get rid of Obamacare!" This tactic didn't work for the 2012 elections, but since that was a presidential election, more traditional voters from all sides of the political spectrum showed. So, onto Plan B - trying this same tactic in the midterm elections. The Republican Party is scared right now. As the country becomes more diverse (in both thought and ethnicity), the GOP is becoming more obsolete. So through suppressing voters righ...

The House GOP appears to be more delusional than someone suffering flashbacks to a Terry Gilliam film in which they never starred. While polls have consistently showed that if the government shuts down, Congressional Republicans will receive the majority of the blame, the House GOP doesn't feel this way for some odd reason. They feel that the American people will blame President Obama - you know, for being elected, re-elected, and not signing a bill to repeal, defund or delay his healthcare bill for a year. Let's break this down for a moment: 1) President Obama got elected in 2008 2) He signed his signature healthcare bill in his first term 3) Even though the GOP told the American people Obamacare would be repealed if they were elected to office, Obama won re-election in 2012, and Democrats picked up seats in the House and Senate for good measure. 4) The House GOP is saying if this elected and re-elected president doesn't do something about the healthcare bill t...

Here's the other recent back-and-forth I engaged myself in via Twitter. After sharing a link from the reputable fact-checking site FactCheck.org  regarding Ted Cruz's multiple lies during his 21-hour talk-a-thon (lie-a-thon more like), a woman, who wrote on her profile that she "fights against stupidity," said fact-checkers can't be trusted. After looking through her profile, it seems that she trusts Fox News, Rush Limbaugh, and the like, and this made me laugh quite a bit. Fact-checkers are paid to research the validity of statements, chain emails, etc. Fox News is there to provide its viewers with right-leaning infotainment. Rush Limbaugh is there to spout opinions which anger many, get people talking, and get die-hard conservatives pumped. So, who am I to trust more? People whom get paid to actually research the validity of statements or people whom get paid more for entertainment purposes than accuracy? If this woman truly wants to fight against stupidit...

With the government shutdown looming, Twitter has exploded with lovely back-and-forths between Tea Partiers in support of the shutdown to delay Obamacare for a year and moderates and liberals whom don't want a government shutdown, regardless of what they think of the healthcare bill. Tea Partiers have gone after a couple of my comments, which I'll briefly write about in a couple of separate blogs. This may be my favorite of the two responses. My tweet was, "Here's an idea - shut down the Tea Party so the government can actually function." It has been my belief that the Tea Party, so long as President Obama is running the show, doesn't want the government to function. They've attempted to place the government on shutdown since the Republican Party took control of the House in 2011. Their sole focus it seems has been on getting rid of Obamacare. Even though Democrats control the Senate and Oval Office, House Republicans have attempted to repeal the bil...

Results from a 2011 gun dealer-gun control survey conducted by the University of California-Davis Violence Prevention Research Team were reported this week and will soon be published in the Journal of Urban Health . The survey found some interesting results with regard to gun dealers' views on expanding background checks. While approximately 90% of the public supports such legislation, it was largely unknown until now what gun dealers thought on the matter. According to this survey, it appears as if gun dealers are nearly as supportive of such legislation as the general public. According to this survey, gun dealers support the following reasons for denying gun sales based on background checks: - Armed robber: 99.3% - Aggravated assault, involving a lethal weapon or serious injury: 99.1% - Serious mental illness, with a history of violence: 98.9% - Serious mental illness, with a history of alcohol or drug abuse: 97.4% - Serious mental illness, but no violence or alcoho...

Ladies, and especially ladies whom hail from the Austin area - have I got a surprise for you! Want to feel like you have won the lottery? Like you hit the jackpot? Then keep reading! Larry Busby - a 39-year old wedding photographer in Austin - is looking to finally meet "the one" (not Neo). Busby is so determined that he's set up his very own website, called Sleepless in Austin (the inevitable sequel to Sleepless in Seattle , I'm sure), to explain just who he is and what he's looking for in the perfect mate. He's even offering anyone who finds him a girlfriend $1,500! There's one catch to earning that money, however - Larry is quite the picky son-of-a-gun, and he has every right to be. Just look at him - isn't he the hunkiest piece of man meat you've ever seen? On his site, Mr. Busby says the following: "I am 39 years old, (date of birth is 9-18-1974 so that makes me a Virgo) 6',4'' and 195lbs... I am looking for a girl that ...

If there's one thing Texas Senator Ted Cruz likes to do, it's talk or hear himself talk. When asked what his favorite Billy Idol song was, he said, "Talking With Myself." When trying to quote Descartes, he said, "I speak, therefore I am." His only pick-up line in college was, "Want to know what the sexiest sound in the world is? My voice. If you want me to keep talking, I will. I'll talk until..." and that's usually when the woman went elsewhere. Overnight, Senator Cruz presented a 21-hour anti-Obamacare talkathon, because he wanted to compensate for all the mimes in the world and be voted biggest douche in Congress by 95% of his peers. Just the day before, Cruz gave his audience the following teaser: "I believe nothing is hurting the American people more, nothing is hurting the economy more, nothing is damaging jobs more than Obamacare." Yes, even though the law has yet to be fully implemented, Obamacare is what's ...

With the Republican Party, led by Tea Partiers, getting more and more extreme and seeming to be increasingly clueless on the messages of the Bible, yet pulling scriptures out of their backsides anyway, I think it's about time the party comes up with a new list of Commandments which better suits their beliefs and agenda. The actual Ten Commandments are as follows: 1. "Thou shalt have no other gods before me." 2. "Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image." 3. "Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain." 4. "Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy." 5. "Honour thy father and thy mother." 6. "Thou shalt not kill." 7. "Thou shalt not commit adultery." 8. "Thou shalt not steal." 9. "Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour." 10. "Thou shalt not covet." Now here is the updated GOP-version of the Ten Command...

Here's the URL to my Facebook business page. I update it fairly regularly, but still haven't put forth a great deal of effort yet in researching matters and attempting to make the most out of it. In any case, it can be perused here: http://www.facebook.com/AuthorCraigRozniecki?ref=hl Up next is my Twitter page. I'm still not 100% certain what I'm doing on there yet, but feel I'm gradually getting the hang of it and am up to 3,202 followers. I update it daily with many of my own tweets, but also by retweeting some others'. It can be found here: https://twitter.com/CraigRozniecki Lastly, here's my Tumblr page, which I've neglected quite a bit recently, but if you're at all curious, you can find it at the following link: http://www.tumblr.com/blog/rozzy81

For new readers (and regular ones, I suppose), here's some information pertaining to my books. All eight of my books can be purchased in paperback form at the following site (and others): http://www.lulu.com/shop/search.ep?type=&keyWords=craig+rozniecki&x=7&y=5&sitesearch=lulu.com&q= The six books I've written and released in the past 2+ years (yes, I've been on a roll) can be purchased for much cheaper in Kindle form at the following link: http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_0_22?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=craig%20rozniecki%20kindle&sprefix=craig+rozniecki+kindle%2Caps%2C228&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Acraig%20rozniecki%20kindle As always, if you have any questions, feel free to ask me by either commenting on this blog or e-mailing me at CRozniecki@gmail.com. Unless I'm out of town, I'm typically very good at responding rather quickly.

Cardinal Raymond Burke - head of the highest court at the Vatican - recently made the following remarks about House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, who is herself a Catholic: "Certainly this is a case when Canon 915 must be applied. This is a person who obstinately, after repeated admonitions, persists in a grave sin - cooperating with the crime of procured abortion - and still professes to be a devout Catholic. This is a prime example of what Blessed John Paul II referred to as the situation of Catholics who have divorced their faith from their public life and therefore are not serving their brothers and sisters in the way that they must - in safeguarding and promoting the life of the innocent and defenseless unborn, in safeguarding and promoting the integrity of marriage and the family." On the site Catholic Answers , this question was posed: "I understand the Code of Canon Law is a list of 2,000-plus laws of the Church. Are these laws subject to change over time? ...

In the book of Matthew, chapter 25, verses 34-36, it says: "Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me." When Republican North Dakota Representative Kevin Cramer was confronted about the Republican House's recent bill which would cut spending in the federal food stamp program, Cramer decided to respond with a different scripture: "2 Thessalonians 3:10 English Standard Version (ESV) For even when we were with you, we would give you this command: If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat." Reports show that 55% of food stamp recipients are either children or elders an...

In an interview with the Wall Street Journal , AIG CEO Bob Benmosche said the following with regard to the public outrage over AIG paying executives $165 million in bonuses after being rescued by taxpayers during the Great Recession: "Now you have these bright young people [in the financial-products unit] who had nothing to do with [the bad bets that hurt the company.] ... They understand the derivatives very well; they understand the complexity. ... They're all scared. They [had made] good livings. They probably lived beyond their means. ... They aren't going to stay there for nothing. The uproar over bonuses 'was intended to stir public anger, to get everybody out there with their pitch forks and their hangman nooses, and all that - sort of like what we did in the Deep South [decades ago]. And I think it was just as bad and just as wrong." Yes, taxpayers whom showed their vocal displeasure with executives receiving $165 million in bonuses after they were t...

- Greg Schiano may put on a tough-guy look and act, but once he's fired after this season, he'll look as tough as Clint Eastwood singing "I Will Always Love You." - Houston's new goal for this season is to not trail by two scores heading into the 4th quarter. - Eli Manning may have thrown 8 interceptions so far this season, but for as much pressure as he's felt and how much he's been hit in the pocket, I'm surprised he's been able to get off eight passes. - I'm not sure why Josh Freeman isn't the starting waterboy for Tampa Bay at this point. - Jim Harbaugh is going to request that the team proposes a trade with Kansas City - Colin Kaepernick for Alex Smith straight-up. - Jacksonville would have trouble beating some college teams. - Pittsburgh and Philadelphia may be engaged in a Keystone State turnover battle. Whoever wins also loses, which both have done quite well to this point in the season (1-5). - RGII may soon give a sp...

Thursday Game:  San Francisco at St. Louis Pick: San Francisco - So the Niners defense hasn't exactly shined so far this season and Colin Kaepernick is playing like a rookie these past couple of games. For whatever reason, I'm going to believe head coach Jim Harbaugh gets his team back on track this Thursday night on the road against a Rams team that lost 31-7 last weekend to the Cowboys. Result: San Francisco 35 St. Louis 11 Record: 1-0 Sunday Game: Baltimore at Buffalo Pick: Baltimore - Baltimore's defense, as well as Joe Flacco, appeared to get on track against Houston this past weekend. While Buffalo's offense is young, quick, and difficult to predict, I have a hunch rookie quarterback E.J. Manuel will have just as difficult a time against the Ravens defense as he did against the Jets. Result: Buffalo 23 Baltimore 20 Record: 1-1 Game: Cincinnati at Cleveland Pick: Cincinnati - I'm not yet a believer in Brian Hoyer. The guy did, after all, t...

Like with the term "love," of which there are 27 definitions in the dictionary, there doesn't appear to be a universal definition of the word "sex." The dictionary defines the term as follows: "Sexual activity, including specifically sexual intercourse." Yet regardless of the definition, sex means different things to different people. According to the law, two people are said to have had sex if any penetration occurred. However, if this is to be taken literally, then women have sex with themselves all the time. For some, sex is any and everything that occurs below the belt for two people. But, while it's understandable to refer to as oral sex as a kind of sex, when a person asks another if he or she has had sex with another, they're solely inquiring about intercourse. Perhaps one's definition of sex comes down to two main factors: 1) Whether they're a black-and-white or shades-of-grey thinker on the subject and 2) How they def...

I don't understand the Republican Party's hardcore efforts to repeal Obamacare for a number of reasons. First off, it's less likely to occur than Leonardo DiCaprio starring in a sequel to Titanic . Not only do Democrats control the Senate, but also the Oval Office with a guy by the name of Obama.  Another reason why I don't understand Congressional Republicans' seeming obsession with repealing Obamacare is this. Even though the law has yet to be fully implemented, GOPers have declared that the law has failed. That would be like me saying that an expanded background check gun control law has failed even though it hasn't passed through Congress. If Republicans truly feel that Obamacare will fail, which would hurt the Democratic Party's chances in coming elections, why are they so bound and determined to repeal the law before it has been fully implemented? Is that because they're truly worried about people's healthcare or because they're worried ...

NRA Vice President Wayne LaPierre, as he contended on Meet the Press  a couple days ago and in the wake of the Sandy Hook school shooting, believes that the only way to stop a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun, and the only way to ensure our safety is through more good guys having guns. It's as simple as that apparently. When I hear this rhetoric, several questions immediately spring to mind, such as: Who are these good guys?; How many are there?; Where can we find them?; What is the definition of "good guy?;" Are there some guys whom are neither good nor bad?; Should they have guns as well?; Can we trust them?; How do we define "bad guy?;" Is there a way we can prevent these bad guys from having guns?; If so, how?; etc. In having all of these questions, I'm now going to attempt to crawl inside the mind of Mr. LaPierre (figuratively-speaking, of course) to see just how well this good-guys-with-guns idea could work. Since I don't have a ...

It's amazing to watch cable news channels when a significant crime or tragedy has struck a part of this nation. In light of the recent mass shooting in this nation's capital, MSNBC decided to report the shooter's name without confirmation, Fox News thought it was a prime opportunity to be partisan and racist, and CNN felt that any bit of news, even if it wasn't news at all, was important for everyone to hear. MSNBC leans left, Fox News leans right, and CNN leans whichever direction the wind takes them. Here's my slightly exaggerated version of how the three networks report on such events. Headline: A 25-year old African-American man attempted to rob a bank and is holding several people hostage Network: MSNBC "We're just getting word about an attempted bank robbery in Chicago, Illinois, where an African-American man is holding several people hostage. Apparently the man is about 25-years old, and do we have a name yet? We do? Okay, we just got confirmat...

In light of the shooting at the Navy Yard this past week, NRA Vice President Wayne LaPierre joined host David Gregory on Meet the Press yesterday, where the two engaged in the following back-and-forth: Gregory: "This is similar. After Newtown, you were outspoken in saying more security was the answer ... This was the Navy Yard. There were armed guards there, Mr. LaPierre. Does that not undermine your argument?" LaPierre: "No, the whole country knows the problem is there weren't enough good guys with guns! When the good guys with guns got there, it stopped..." Gregory: "Can it be the sliding scale where, you do have armed guards there, but now there's not enough armed guards? And when it comes to schools, if only we had an armed guard, and then if we had teachers with weapons, then we could stop it. I mean, where does it stop?" "Good guys" with guns? What, like the stories I've recently read of police officers shooting and kill...

I don't know what I did to piss off the football gods this weekend, but I must have done something. Assuming Denver beats Oakland tonight, I'll finish the week an awful 6-10. Oddly enough, those numbers should be reversed at 10-6, but due to a number of strange events, that just wasn't to be. Green Bay led Cincinnati by a couple of scores heading to the 4th quarter, but after Cincy trimmed that to one and the Packers were driving late in the quarter, rookie tailback Jonathan Franklin fumbled the football on a 4th-and-inches, the Bengals scooped it up and ran it in for the game-winning score. San Diego led Tennessee throughout most of the game, but Jake Locker connected with a receiver on a deep last-second pass, where the receiver got away with offensive pass interference, to give the Titans the victory. Minnesota led Cleveland late in the 4th quarter (much like they did in their game against Chicago the week before), but unknown backup quarterback Brian Hoyer put the...

Want to hear (read) a funny quote? Kentucky Senator and man who grew a Chia Pet on his head - Rand Paul - said this the other day to NBC News : "Does anybody remember Charlie Sheen when he was kind of going crazy... And he was going around, jumping around saying 'Winning, winning, we're winning. Well I kind of feel like that, we are winning. And I'm not on any drugs." I think what Rand meant to say was: "Does anybody remember Charlie Sheen when he was kind of going crazy? Well, I kind of feel like that." My thoughts exactly... http://politicalwire.com/archives/2013/09/20/quote_of_the_day.html

I hate being so hard on ESPN writers, but over the past few months, I've been noticing wretched articles with increasing frequency. The latest one comes courtesy of Phil Sheridan, and is entitled, "Kelly gets first taste of Vick turnovers." The article came in light of the Philadelphia Eagles 26-16 defeat at the hands of the Kansas City Chiefs last night, where Michael Vick was picked off twice in the first half - his first two interceptions of the season (compared to 5 touchdowns). Sheridan started his article with this: "Now Chip Kelly knows. Since January, when he was hired to replace Andy Reid as head coach of the Philadelphia Eagles, Kelly has dismissed his video record of quarterback Michael Vick's habit of throwing footballs to the other team. Kelly didn't know Vick's reads on the 24 interceptions he threw in his previous 23 games. He didn't know whether a receiver ran the wrong route or an offensive lineman missed an assignment. So h...

After the Thursday night loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, I think it can be ascertained that the Philadelphia Eagles are a work in progress. While the offense clicked in each of the team's first two games, it was sloppier than a man, who had just been injected with anesthesia at the dentist, trying to eat spaghetti. The defense and special teams have already had so many ups and downs, psychiatrists all across the country are contemplating diagnosing them as bipolar. From the first time the Eagles touched the football, trouble was bound. After allowing a long kickoff return, the Eagles defense stood firm in forcing the Chiefs to a three-and-out to start the game. Then returnman Damaris Johnson called for a fair catch inside the 10-yard line, but forgot to actually catch the football. This led to a field goal by Kansas City. Then on Michael Vick's second pass attempt, he stared down receiver, was picked off, and that led to a touchdown (pick-six). Before the Eagles knew it, they...