By Any Other Name

I had no idea that the Christmas tree on Capitol Hill is called a "Holiday Tree." Fellow Illinoisian and Speaker of Da' House Denny Hastert is trying to get the tree correctly named:

Hastert, R-Ill., in a letter to the Architect of the Capitol, recommended that the annual Capitol Holiday Tree, as it has been called the past several years, be renamed the Capitol Christmas Tree.

"I strongly urge that we return to this tradition and join the White House, countless other public institutions and millions of American families in celebrating the holiday season with a Christmas tree," Hastert wrote to Architect Alan Hantman.

I can only guess that the politicians on Capitol Hill didn't want to offend Jewish and Muslim voters with a "Christmas"-named object on federal government property (so what that the White House has had a Christmas Tree for over 100 years).

Well, here's an opinion from one of the people the Congress was trying to avoid:

CALL THE THING A CHRISTMAS TREE.

Having it called a Holiday Tree can only create more problems for us non-Christians. All I need is for the Six Year Old to come home and ask, that, if we can't have a Christmas Tree, can we have a Holiday Tree? It's easy enough to explain to a six year old that Christmas Trees are for Christians. Now I'd have to explain that he can't have a Holiday Tree?

There will never be a Christmas Tree, Holiday Tree, Hanukkah Bush, or a Kwanzaa Whatever in my house. If the Congroids want one, so be it. Call it by its right name, please.

A Meaningless Lead

Rafael Furcal seems to be leaning toward singing with Chicago. Good. Not great, but good. Furcal is a desperation signing that the Cubs wouldn't need had they not been cheap and signed Miguel Tejada two years ago. And, while Furcal is a good player, he's no Tejada.

He is also, at times, not very good. Just last year, through June, his OBP was .292. Getting Furcal is required because he fills two holes for the Cubs. Not many other players are out there that are available who can do this.

But, just because he fills the holes doesn't mean that he's going to fill them as well as Cubs fans would like.

Hendry has been negligent the last three years in addressing leadoff and bullpen. He's now overpaid for two setup men, one of whom just smells of career year. He's going to have to over pay for shortstop. Bad planning on his part. Those who fail to plan...

Furcal will be a good signing because it's a must sign guy, not because he's an exceptional player.

And I don't want to hear anymore garbage about "good news coming" until it comes.