Beermageddon

Honestly, is there anyone left in this country who can get things done?

Everywhere you look, from the NFL, to the NBA, to the state of Minnesota and the federal government, nobody seems to be able to roll up their sleeves and solve the problems of the day.  Instead they throw up their hands, let things collapse and devote their energy to pissing and moaning about how tough the other side is to deal with.  It seems like American society has simply unleashed it's collective Nero, shrugging shoulders and pointing fingers while everything around them burns.

Normally I wouldn't involve myself with such squabbles, since they're more rigged than carnival games, but now things are hitting way to close to home.  Like any other American, I am a collective pile of self-interest.  There are some magnanimous moments and a general hope that good things happen to all the good people out there, but by and large I care about my own lot in life.  My family, my friends, my neighborhood are what matters, beyond that the task just seems too daunting.  90% of people are the same way, but the problem is only 50% of them admit it, the others are self-righteous ***holes.

Don't mistake this as a political position, because I'm not talking about taxes.  I can only hope to one day hand over hundreds of thousands of dollars to the government on an annual basis, because that means at least that much is going into my pocket.  Now is the part where the high wage earners scoff and say "Let's see if you're singing the same tune when that happens", but that's why I'm putting it on paper now, come back and show this to me some day.  Because all I want is a number, give me a number, take it out of the check, and leave me the hell alone.  I'll caveat this by saying, if the number gets to high, I reserve the right to just stay home, but otherwise we should get along fine.

In exchange for this, the only ask is some decent facilities to attend games in, football to watch in the fall, some chicken wings to eat and a cold beer to wash it down.  The basic distraction that any fat, dumb and happy American sportsfan should hold alongside freedom of speech as a God-given right.  Sounds simple, right?  Apparently not.

Because now there's no football, and soon, thanks to our hard-working legislature, there will soon be no beer.  At least not the kind you watch a game with, no Miller Lite, no Coors Light, no joke, in the state of Minnesota, at least until this shutdown nonsense is solved.  Worse yet, there are a bunch of bars that could run out of booze compeltely, without the ability to restock!  I don't know about the particulars, and I don't care, it's just becoming very clear that the people in charge of several large enterprises need a significant wake-up call.  We've all got enough of our own problems to worry about with piling on the fact that none of you seem able to do your jobs.

To the NFL and the state of Minnesota, I will simply say you have a very unsatisfied customer on your hands.  I'm not threatening you, only saying that if I don't have football on TV and a cold Coors on tap come the second Sunday in September, I will not be responsible for my actions.  Please realize that your silly little stands on principle means nothing.  All of you old men owning NFL teams will die and turn to dust, an extra hundred million in the bank will make no difference.  All of you state reps and senators, please realize that things are in decline and has been for some time.  It gets back to entropy, and all systems breaking down.  An egg breaks, silt forms a delta at the mouth of a river, water shapes a stone and a building weathers.  These things move only in one direction, ever downward, why are you letting it bother you so much?  Especially when half the world thinks the actions you're taking to stop it are completely incorrect?

Look, I'm not saying we should throw in the towel on everything, but I'm a realist.  One of these days the rapture will come, or the sun will explode, or some other catastrophic thing will end life as we know it.  It won't be anyone's fault, it will just be.  And when that does occur, won't you feel a bit silly for the time you wasted putting trying to stick your fingers in the dyke? (Easy...)  Wouldn't you rather be holding a cold one and watching the game?  Particularly in the sun scenario?

Sorry to be a downer, but it's a downer sort of day.  I need a beer...while there's still time.