Resolution time

It's resolution time folks. As usual I start with the usual things, eat better, excersise and the one I make every year and only partially fulfill; CLEAN MY HOUSE.

The last time I accomplished any major house cleaning was when I let my youngest sister bring me an almost new matress. So I have to set some sort of goal like that, and I've picked the day. On Saint Patrick's Day, I am going to have some kind of gathering at my house. It will most likely only be a family affair, as I am not allowed anyone else, at least I haven't ever asked. (No I don't live with my parents but it's on their property.) Plus my driveway isn't really conducive to having multiple guests. You know I think that may be the first weekend of March madness maybe that's a reason to host a gathering. But I also have an ulterior motive.

I have a lot of unnecessary furniture in my house. I also "window" shop on amazon.com all the time and have found some things that could either replace some furniture I have and/or allow me to use some old furniture for new purposes. Some will be bought as soon as my Christmas cash is fully deposited (I hate that they make you wait before they deposit the full amount). Some will have to wait for my tax refund and won't have a place until the old furniture is out.

So that's my resolution again, clean my house but with a purpose.

The most wonderful time of the year---for me anyway.

First of all, keep your eyes out for Wofford. They are still in the FCS playoffs and are facing another team that pulled an upset in Youngstown State.

As for the Gamecocks, the Birmingham Bowl was the last Bowl I wanted to go to. Nothing against Birmingham, but we're paying South Florida. A 10-2 USF team. I know this is going to sound like a stupid TV football analyst thing to say, but I don't think we can score enough points to beat them. We are gonna get our hat handed to us ( only I'm not thinking 'hat' while I'm typing this). No score prediction but ESPN says

Birmingham Bowl: South Florida vs. South Carolina
(2 p.m., ESPN, Legion Field, Birmingham, Alabama)
Remember what Deshaun Watson did to South Carolina a few weeks ago? Expect a slightly less severe version of that with South Florida's Quinton Flowers, one of the nation's most underappreciated stars. Flowers accounts for four touchdowns in the Bulls' first bowl win since 2010. 
South Florida 41, South Carolina 24.

I can't really argue with that.

As for Clemson and Ohio State, I remember the 1978 Gator Bowl when Ohio State coach Woody Hayes hit Clemson Player Charlie Bauman My family and I were watching when it happened, and to use a wrestling term, you have never seen people do a heel turn ( or I guess in the eyes of my Clemson friends it was a face turn) so fast. We immediately started pulling for Clemson and I have never liked Ohio State since. ESPN says

College Football Playoff semifinal at the PlayStation Fiesta Bowl
No. 3 Ohio State vs. No. 2 Clemson
(7 p.m., ESPN, University of Phoenix Stadium, Glendale, Arizona)
Clemson has the right talent mix to beat Alabama, but the Tigers have been too inconsistent. Urban Meyer has only two bowl losses -- one to Clemson three years ago -- but he elevates his young team, especially the passing game, in this one. Ohio State builds a lead and holds on against Deshaun Watson in an instant classic, winning on a field goal. 
Ohio State 31, Clemson 29.

I disagree. I think Clemson wins.

As for the national championship, anyone who's not a totally delusional fan of the other three schools knows that Alabama is going to win.

If something screwy happens, and Washington beats Alabama and Clemson beats Ohio State, I think Clemson would beat Washington. If it's Washington and Ohio State, it's a hypothetical so let's say Washington would win that. That way I don't have to come back and make a prediction.

Prediction/Wish for THE Game.

I'll start with the usual caviat. Just because I'm a Gamecock fan, don't assume I'm just going to pick a USC win. Very early on when I made weekly predictions, I think it was the second year, South Carolina was at the end of a 21 game losing streak in the first year of Lou Holtz after Brad Scott. The game was at Clemson and there was just no way I could pick the Gamecocks to win and have any integrity. Having said that, it has to be pretty extraordinary circumstances like that for me to go against my Gamecocks.
I'm not an X's and O's guy. I can name a few plays when I see them, I can tell a team when to go for a 2 point conversion (they never get that right), and when they should "go for it" on 4th down. My predictions are based on heart, not head, and this year my heart belongs to Gamecock kicker Elliott Fry.
Yea, I know he has a girl friend, so did I in college means nothing. What an outstanding young man. He battles diabetes, doesn't let it slow him down. What a great example not just for kids with diabetes, but really anyone with a chronic condition. I can think of nothing better than for Elliott to have a monster game including a game winner against his arch-rivals, knocking them out of the playoffs. Clemson, you probably win, but that's not how I'd write it.

South Carolina 30 Clemson 28

Please try to understand before one of us dies.

I'm trying to move on. I just can't make some of you understand how serious the situation is in our country.
We didn't just elect a Republican instead of a Democrat and the Democrat won the popular vote. That's happened before but we didn't feel the need to riot.
We have elected a man who has the support of white nationalists and is even putting them in positions of power. We elected a man and his running mate Mike Pence, who is one of if not the most anti-lgbt politicians on record. He has even said that AIDS funding should instead go to so-called reparative therapy--- literally trying to turn gay people straight. This effects me directly not only as a gay man-----but someone who relies on government programs for medication that keeps me alive. Yes, there should not be violence but we should not stay silent either. Telling us to "get over it" and "give Trump a chance"....like you gave Obama?
I will not stand idly by while my rights are taken away. No one should. I don't fault anyone for doing so. Do it peacefully by all means, but protesting is our right as Americans.

Here's how I'm voting and why.

A few days ago, I became curious about these vote swapping schemes because they were all over my Facebook feed. I went on Trump traders and when I entered that I was a Clinton supporter in South Carolina, and hit the connect with Facebook, instead of taking me to another page which I thought would give me the option of thinking about it some more, it matched me up with a Johnson supporter in North Carolina. I messaged him that I had voted Libertarian since 1992 and looked like I would again (I first messaged him a Go Cubs as his pic had the cubs logo). I have not heard back. So I was torn. But then I started to think about it. We don't elect our President by a simple popular vote. Shame that we don't because Al Gore would have been president in 2000 and who knows what all would have been different if that had happened. Also there wouldn't be this vote swapping thing, I'd vote for Hillary no question. There is something, however, that could happen based on the national vote. This year without a doubt the Libertarians have the most qualified ticket they've ever had. Two successful, popular Republican Governors of traditionally "blue" states. Yes, Gary johnson has had some gaffes, but Bill Weld impresses the hell out of me. I wish he was at the top of the ticket and maybe he will be in 2020, although I think the hard-line Libertarians may not like his positive attitude towards Hillary.
With 5% of the vote, the Libertarians will be declared an official "minor party", and will be eligible for what many estimate to be around $10 million from the federal election commission in 2020. I think Johnson and Weld are beng somewhat deceptive when they state that 5% would be a magic bullet and get the LP automatic ballot access because that's determined by each state with different requirements. It would be a game changer though.
A vote for Hillary in South Carolina is practically meaningless. A vote for the Libertarians, however, counts nationally towards that 5%.
I hope this guy in NC votes for Hillary, but even if he doesn't, I think my vote will be more impactful by going to the Libertarians. After all I was involved, directly or indirectly, in the Libertarian Party for the better part of the 90s and 00s. Old habits die hard, and I still have some loyalty to my late friend David who introduced me to the Libertarian Party.

One final plea.

I wanted to post a note on Facebook, but couldn't figure out how. I stumbled across this in my searches and thought I'd give it a try.
I make no secret of the fact that I am voting for Hillary after voting Libertarian in every election since 1992. My politcal views have simply shifted to the left, and there are parts of the Libertarian platform that I no longer support, mainly economic. I also take issue with candidates nominated by the SCLP also being allowed to run as Constitution party candidates. My interest in the LP was initially based on what I thought was our belief in separation of church and state. The Constitution Party is the opposite of that.
I have one final plea. If you are planning to vote for Donald Trump, this is where we part ways. I don't care how much I like you personally, how well we know each other or how well we like each other, it's over.
I've heard and shared posts of others doing this and now I am doing it. Here's why.
If you are on my Facebook friends list, you're there because we have some connection. I cannot believe that someone I know would support a man whose vice presidential candidate signed discrimination against LGBT people into law. He has working on his campaign, a man who compares me to a dog because I am gay. He and two of his top surrogates have 9 wives between them and each cheated on #1 with #2 and #2 with #3. I would not take issue with this if it weren't for the fact that they plan to make an issue of Bill Clintons infidelity.
This doesn't begin to cover the fact that Donald Trump can't go a day without lying or tweeting lies. He is unstable. He's sexist. He's racist. And what really bugs me is those of you who know he's a con-man and yet you're so anti-hillary you would risk our democracy for it. There's also those of you who think Trump will "shake things up". You wanna shake things up? Don't want to vote for Hillary? Then I'm begging you, vote for Gary Johnson. At least let me respect you enough to not end our friendship.
But if you have your mind set and you're going to vote for Trump...it's been nice knowing you and I wish you well in your future endeavors.