Of course the five ways to reach first base without striking the ball are, BB, IBB, K/PB, (or technically also K/WP), I2, HBP. It is a scoring issue and those are the ways of scoring it. That's actually six ways if you think about it.

Can you believe that the Repubs in the house whine and cry about the stimulus bill for the economy. The Democrats cave and put in stuff to mollify them. And then not one of the Repubs votes for the bill. It is not as if any one needed their votes. They have totally no say in the house of representatives, the Democrats were just being bi-partisan in accepting suggestions from people with absolutely no power. Then the Repubs vote in lock step. What is that? And how much do you think you'll get listened to on the next bill. Why, not at all.

Meanwhile President Obama has come up with a crafty way to break the deadlock that might occur in the Senate on the bill. First, Sen. Gregg, R-NH is appointed Commerce Secretary. Gregg is 61, facing a difficult re-election in 2010. After 8 years as Commerce Secretary he'd by 69, ready to retire well after serving his country in the executive branch. Then, the Democratic governor of NH will appoint a Democrat to that senate seat, making the ratio in the Senate, 60 Democrats, 40 Repubs. And there goes the ability of the Repubs to derail any piece of legislation they like for at least the next two years. Two years of congress non action in the current crisis will be seen as a failure of the Obama administration. But if Gregg accepts, then Obama gets two years to govern. It will be time to judge him then.