Yossarian's home run

"There was only one catch and that was Catch-22, which specified that a concern for one's own safety in the face of dangers that were real and immediate was the process of a rational mind. Orr was crazy and could be grounded. All he had to do was ask; and as soon as he did, he would no longer be crazy and would have to fly more missions. Orr would be crazy to fly more missions and sane if he didn't, but if he was sane he had to fly them. If he flew them he was crazy and didn't have to; but if he didn't want to he was sane and had to."

No, that isn't Farney's van. It's a photo taken by Indians outfielder David Dellucci of some of the damage from Hurricane Katrina. An article about Dellucci's non-profit group Catch 22 for Blue got me thinking about why his charity to help the victims of the storm was named Catch 22. I've tried to wrap my mind around the reasoning behind the name, how Hurricane Katrina charity work could be a catch 22. Is it because though money is pouring in, it isn't being spent properly, thus the place looks like it needs more money? Is it because there are jobs available that people just won't take because they are waiting for handouts, thus adding to the unemployment level? Is it just that he has heard the term and thought since 22 was his number and catch is a baseball term, it was a good name for a charity?

(Of course, if you look at the way the disaster was dealt with, one does not need to look far to see the justification for using such a name - Chapter 29, pg. 335: "That's the way things go when you elevate mediocre people to positions of authority.")

Kudos to David for such a worthwhile cause. Can you believe that a major American city was virtually wiped off the map for a few months? It's still pretty tough to believe.
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The Players Are Human?

I am sitting at my desk right now staring out at the brilliant blue sky and daydreaming about baseball. I can feel the cold creeping around the old window but the light of the sky is beginning to give off a spring color and makes it tough to stay inside and wait around for baseball to begin.

I was thinking about the players getting ready to go off to Spring Training. We demand a lot from players, don't we? We cheer or scream at them, bug them for autographs, praise or complain about them through blogs and newspapers, and wear their names on our backs or their images across our chests. I know that I, for one, am not interested in their personal lives, but then again, I've never really been into celebrity worship (unless that celebrity is one of four members of a certain Irish rock band!)

We've reached the final two weeks before the grind begins for them. I imagine this is the time of year when they try to cram as much time with their families as possible, when they begin to think about what they need to pack, when phone calls are coming in about airline tickets, and, I'd like to think, a little nervous excitement starts to rumble inside them. It must be pretty tough, though, leaving their families at this time when the kids are still in school and can't travel with them.

Oh, baseball, hurry up and get here!
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