Eco-Unfriendly

Guest post written by my buddy Aldo Mays

I’m really big on eco-friendly design which is why that’s one of the main priorities when it comes to buying our next home. I like this place’s character because it’s old and has a lot of charm but there’s a lot to be desired when it comes to its energy efficiency. I loved the windows when we first moved in as the original wavy glass was so cute! But now that we’ve been through two winters here and see how the heat just leaks out right through them I would give anything for new, double paned windows. I’ve been looking online at http://www.electriccompaniesindallas.com/green-electricity.html to find out about some of the green energy providers in the area and I think we’ve got some options. The problem is that a lot of them won’t be able to do much with our house because the systems are so antiquated and we’d have to rip out all the wiring, basically, to bring it up to date. I hate that we’re using so much energy and making such a huge carbon footprint and I’ve tried to do what I can to offset it by planting a garden and composting and taking the shortest showers known to man. But at the end of the day I hate that we get our electricity bill and gasp each month and knowing I’m doing little to help the country’s energy crisis. My husband says I’m a bleeding heart but I really think we all have to wake up and be responsible for what we’re doing to the planet! Our kids are going to have to live here one day and we’ve got to do what we can now to make this planet a better place to be. Knowing we’re causing more harm than we need to and continuing to do it is just a crime if you ask me, and there’s no excuse for that kind of behavior from civilized adults, you know? That’s where we come in.

Pedro Martinez Is Coming Back, and I'm Not Happy About It

I love Pedro. He's my favorite athlete of all-time. I even have a Mets t-shirt because it says "Martinez" on the back. So you'd think the news that he's been appointed by the Red Sox as Special Assistant to the GM would thrill me. But it doesn't.

It reeks of a PR decision, a move to make fans happy. Give a popular former player from happier times a vague job, make all the fans smile, even have the news trend on Twitter.

Call me cynical, call me paranoid. But look at the timing. It's perfect. The Patriots have been eliminated from the NFL playoffs and the aftermath of that has settled down. And wasn't there just a book released recently that kind of made the Red Sox ownership look bad? It's the perfect time to throw a bone to the fans, and give them something to be happy about.

Jason Varitek is already a "Special Assistant" to the GM. How many more Special Assistants from the 2004 Red Sox will be hired? Will Bill Mueller be named Head Groundskeeper? Will Trot Nixon become the team bus driver?

Perhaps they were always going to hire Pedro and they announced it at the best time to maximize good publicity. And that's fine.

However, this ownership has, over the last 5 years, earned nothing but mistrust and skepticism. They acquire players for PR reasons, spend money for the sake of spending it, trash departing players in the media, lie about sellouts, and prioritize appearance over all else. So can you blame me for being skeptical?

I'm glad Pedro is part of the organization. I just wish the organization didn't make me question every single move they make.