THERE'S ALWAYS GOOD, BAD, AND UGLY

Let's go backwards so I can end on a positive.

Bad, first. The 2007 baseball season, for one thing. Well, for the first time all season and for a very, very few games ever, I rooted against the Cardinals the last three games. Oh, I still rooted for Mr. Pujols to get his 100th RBI, but I honestly didn't want them to win. You see, they were playing the Brewers who are chasing the Cubs for the division title. The Cubs have been losing along with the Cardinals, so my Brewers (does that sound funny) were gaining ground. Until their manager, some former player by the uncolorful name Ned Yost gets bad. He awakens the sleepy Cardinals by having ex-Cardinal Suppan throw a fastball at Mr. Pujol's head. In the eighth inning of a game already in control by the Brew Crew. You guessed it--the Cardinals came to life and won the next game putting the Brewers 2 games back with three to play. What is he thinking? Bad.

The Ugly: that's easy. Kevin Spacey, along with Sean Penn and Danny Glover. Three actors that I thought were excellent in their craft. But their personal choices are ugly, ugly, ugly. You see, all have recently gone to Venezuela to have discussions with Chavez, that country's political dictator/leftist/tyrant/etc. And they're friendly to him. Because? Who knows?Amazing! And some students, hopefully only a few, but some applaud Iran's imam, Amahmadinejah at Columbia University! More ugliness. More disbelief.

The good: Just Apple Pie. At least that's what my wife calls her splendid apple pie that she baked last night. Without revealing any trade secrets, it contained sugar- free pie crust, Splenda brown sugar and apples, topped off with, actually baked into the pie, sugar- free carmel sauce. Oh, and a little vanilla ice cream on top. Oh, how good!

After a day of Cubbery--Defined: the hapless ones closing in on the NL Central title due to a Yostian mismanagement; Spacey courting, cuddling with Chavez; and Amahmadinejah in

New York, this blogger needed some good news. Just apple pie filled the bill. And the belly.