In a move that tells you all you need to know about Jets fans, the Jets organization announced today that beer sales will be suspended during this Monday's Jets-Pats game.
It seems that drunken Jets fans (is there any other kind) have been behaving like European soccer hooligans during games of late. There have been multiple instances of violent, unruly behavior at the Meadowlands recently, which the Jets have blamed on too much alcohol, rather than their team's current state of extreme suck.
I'm shocked, shocked, to hear that Jets fans can't hold their liquor.
Wednesday, December 21, 2005
Nut-case gets restraining order against David Letterman
A Santa Fe, NM woman recently obtained a temporary restraining order against David Letterman, claiming that, while doing his Late Night show, he was sending her coded messages and signals indicating that he wants to marry her.
I often get the same kind of messages from Letterman myself, although usually he's signaling me to go clean out the garage.
I often get the same kind of messages from Letterman myself, although usually he's signaling me to go clean out the garage.
Red Sox fans not that upset about Damon
Surprisingly, Red Sox fans (at least some of them, this is by no means a scientific sample) don't seem that bent-out-of-shape about the loss of Johnny Damon to the Evil Empire. They're annoyed that he's going to NY, but not that upset about losing him as a player, esp at the price he was asking (and received from Georgie).
From afar, it looks like the Sox are imploding. However, the guys and girls who write and comment at Joy of Sox and Cursed to First know a heck of a lot more than I do, and are the first to wail when they think the Sox are doing dumb things. So far, we're not seeing any of that.
From afar, it looks like the Sox are imploding. However, the guys and girls who write and comment at Joy of Sox and Cursed to First know a heck of a lot more than I do, and are the first to wail when they think the Sox are doing dumb things. So far, we're not seeing any of that.
Katrina was a Cat 3 when it hit NO
The National Hurricane Center has issued a report stating that Katrina was a Category 3 hurricane when it swamped New Orleans.
Katrina was thought to have been a Category 4 storm at the time it made landfall. New Orleans' levee system was supposed to withstand a Category 3 hurricane.
Others have offered evidence of Katrina's less-than-thought strength before, but this is the definitive statement on the subject.
Before you start booking your French Quarter reservations for next summer, just think for one minute about what a real Category 5 storm would do to that city. Why, exactly, do we need to rebuild New Orleans?
Katrina was thought to have been a Category 4 storm at the time it made landfall. New Orleans' levee system was supposed to withstand a Category 3 hurricane.
Others have offered evidence of Katrina's less-than-thought strength before, but this is the definitive statement on the subject.
Before you start booking your French Quarter reservations for next summer, just think for one minute about what a real Category 5 storm would do to that city. Why, exactly, do we need to rebuild New Orleans?
Genius post on torture from Scott Adams
Scott Adams, who's blog is almost always funny and/or thought provoking, has gone the thought-provoking route today, musing about the effectiveness of torture. As far as I know, he has no credentials in the area, but his points are so obvious that none are needed.
Best quote from the post:
Read the whole thing.
Best quote from the post:
First, why is torture so widely used if it doesn’t work?
Read the whole thing.
Kobe-ified!
Ouch. Kobe went nuts against the Mavs on Tuesday night, scoring 62 points in three quarters of work in a 112-90 Lakers blowout.
There's no denying Kobe is greatness on the court. It's only his sorry attitude and off-court problems that prevent him from truly inheriting the Jordan mantle.
Avery got tossed, Dirk and Devin Harris both had a decent offensive game, but no one to could stop Kobe. He sat out the 4th, or he might have gone for 100.
One game certainly does not make a season, and the Mavs will be fine. Stackhouse may actually play for the first time later this week, and there remains much to be positive about. These things happen in an 82-game season.
But it still hurts.
There's no denying Kobe is greatness on the court. It's only his sorry attitude and off-court problems that prevent him from truly inheriting the Jordan mantle.
Avery got tossed, Dirk and Devin Harris both had a decent offensive game, but no one to could stop Kobe. He sat out the 4th, or he might have gone for 100.
One game certainly does not make a season, and the Mavs will be fine. Stackhouse may actually play for the first time later this week, and there remains much to be positive about. These things happen in an 82-game season.
But it still hurts.
Hot stove doin's
I opened the Seattle Times this morning to find that the Mariners have signed Jarrod Washburn to a four-year deal worth $37.5 million. It's the longest contract Seattle has given a pitcher since the ill-fated Arthur Rhodes deal back in 2000.
Washburn is a fly-ball pitcher, so Safeco makes a lot more sense for him than the Launching Pad in Arlington, and the Rangers would have been NUTS to offer him a similar deal. It just sorta hit me between the eyes: Some teams are able to get it done. Why not the Rangers?
In other news, late word tonight is that Johnny Damon is defecting to the hated Yankees. Steinbrenner money-whipped him with $52 million over 4 years. This has been one of the most disastrous winters in Red Sox history, starting with the resignation of Theo Epstein and continuing through the losses of Damon, Renteria, Mirabelli, and Mueller.
The Yankees are well on their way to satisfying The Onion's prediction of signing every player in baseball.
And, finally, the Rangers made another trade today, sending Chris Young, Adrian Gonzales, and Terrmel Sledge to the Padres for RHP Adam Eaton and RHP Akinori Otsuka.
Chris Young had been a bright spot in the Rangers silly rotation last season. I really hope Jon Daniels got enough for him. According to the analysis in the Dallas Morning News, Eaton is regarded as a pitcher with a bigger upside than Young, due to his ability to throw a wider variety of pitches. However, he makes a ton more money and had some injury problems in 2005. Otsuka appears headed for the setup reliever role, since the Rangers failed to get Octavio Dotel.
A final Rangers note: Apparently, Big Dumb Tom met w/ Boras and Kevin Millwood today. Millwood is supposed to make a decision over the weekend, so no doubt we'll hear on Monday that he's signed somewhere else.
Washburn is a fly-ball pitcher, so Safeco makes a lot more sense for him than the Launching Pad in Arlington, and the Rangers would have been NUTS to offer him a similar deal. It just sorta hit me between the eyes: Some teams are able to get it done. Why not the Rangers?
In other news, late word tonight is that Johnny Damon is defecting to the hated Yankees. Steinbrenner money-whipped him with $52 million over 4 years. This has been one of the most disastrous winters in Red Sox history, starting with the resignation of Theo Epstein and continuing through the losses of Damon, Renteria, Mirabelli, and Mueller.
The Yankees are well on their way to satisfying The Onion's prediction of signing every player in baseball.
And, finally, the Rangers made another trade today, sending Chris Young, Adrian Gonzales, and Terrmel Sledge to the Padres for RHP Adam Eaton and RHP Akinori Otsuka.
Chris Young had been a bright spot in the Rangers silly rotation last season. I really hope Jon Daniels got enough for him. According to the analysis in the Dallas Morning News, Eaton is regarded as a pitcher with a bigger upside than Young, due to his ability to throw a wider variety of pitches. However, he makes a ton more money and had some injury problems in 2005. Otsuka appears headed for the setup reliever role, since the Rangers failed to get Octavio Dotel.
A final Rangers note: Apparently, Big Dumb Tom met w/ Boras and Kevin Millwood today. Millwood is supposed to make a decision over the weekend, so no doubt we'll hear on Monday that he's signed somewhere else.
Tuesday, December 20, 2005
Gangsters and celebs turn out to plant Tookie
Stanley "Tookie" Williams, founder of the Crips and convicted multiple-murderer, was buried today in LA. Among the attendees to the funeral were: Jesse Jackson (what a surprise - Jesse shows up where TV cameras are!), Tony Robbins, and Snoop Dogg. I'm a fan of Snoop, but this ain't exactly the A list.
Outside, one could find T-shirt vendors, assorted gangsters, and a variety of gawkers. One of this last group, Keelonnie Roberts, 23, of Torrance, said her father was a Crip who used to tell her tales of gang life. Although Roberts never met Williams, she said, "He seemed like a sweet man to me."
She certainly seems qualified to comment, doesn't she?
Folks, this character killed four people with a shotgun. The punishment, under the law, fits the crime. End of story.
Outside, one could find T-shirt vendors, assorted gangsters, and a variety of gawkers. One of this last group, Keelonnie Roberts, 23, of Torrance, said her father was a Crip who used to tell her tales of gang life. Although Roberts never met Williams, she said, "He seemed like a sweet man to me."
She certainly seems qualified to comment, doesn't she?
Folks, this character killed four people with a shotgun. The punishment, under the law, fits the crime. End of story.
Could have fooled me
Spam email has decreased in volume, says a new FTC report. Whoever authored this fine example of your tax dollars at work obviously has not checked my gmail inbox.
Parcells has no answers for The Meltdown in DC
In a revelation that stunned exactly no one, the Pear-Shaped "Football Genius" offered no substantive explanation for his team's failure to show up on Sunday.
"It wasn't good. The game just got further and further away," he said. Gee, thanks, Bill. I hadn't noticed. You're not the Pear-Shaped "Football Genius" for nothing.
Ty Walker has taken over posting duties from Sturm for this week, and he's got something. More pictures than Sturm usually posts (I like pictures), and he agrees with me on Tuna-Boy's relationship with the so-called Sporting Press in Dallas:
"It wasn't good. The game just got further and further away," he said. Gee, thanks, Bill. I hadn't noticed. You're not the Pear-Shaped "Football Genius" for nothing.
Ty Walker has taken over posting duties from Sturm for this week, and he's got something. More pictures than Sturm usually posts (I like pictures), and he agrees with me on Tuna-Boy's relationship with the so-called Sporting Press in Dallas:
For that matter, do we really ever get any real information out of him?
Most of the time the assembled media at Bill's press conferences are too scared
or too worried about being his buddy to ask him anything that might get
something of substance. (See Jean Jacques Taylor, Clarence Hill, Jennifer Engel
or any of the other butt-kissers roaming around Valley Ranch.) I know Bill's
normally gonna blow the tough questions off, but don't you have to at least ask
them occasionally?
Monday, December 19, 2005
Another blog worth reading
Welllllll, look at this. The latest entry to the must-read blogosphere: None other than the Rangers' Director of Media Relations, Gregg Elkin (no relation, much as I wish otherwise).
Gregg has been known as a straight shooter (well, as much of one as his job permits) for years around the DFW area. His blog should provide a great deal of behind the scenes news from Rangerland, along with, I hope, some Hot Sports Opinions.
Gregg has been known as a straight shooter (well, as much of one as his job permits) for years around the DFW area. His blog should provide a great deal of behind the scenes news from Rangerland, along with, I hope, some Hot Sports Opinions.
Santas rampage in New Zealand
Forty drunken louts in Santa suits ran wild in Auckland, New Zealand on Saturday. They claim this was part of a world-wide protest movement called "Santarchy", which is intended to bring attention to the over-commercialization of Christmas.
Dude, I can think of about 900 ways to do that same thing without resorting to a group of pissed (the drunken "pissed", not the angry "pissed") Santas looting a convenience store.
Of course, the other 900 ways would not have warranted a story on this silly little blog, so I guess it's "Mission Accomplished" for Santarchy.
Dude, I can think of about 900 ways to do that same thing without resorting to a group of pissed (the drunken "pissed", not the angry "pissed") Santas looting a convenience store.
Of course, the other 900 ways would not have warranted a story on this silly little blog, so I guess it's "Mission Accomplished" for Santarchy.
Must-have for your next concert
Remember the good old days, when we used to hold our Bic lighters over our heads at concernts as we begged for encore after encore?
In these politcally correct times, no one carries lighters anymore. So, it's become quite the thing to hold your lit-up cell phone over your head instead.
Well, the loop has been closed. Now you can download wallpaper for your cell with a picture of a lit lighter on it. This is so retro-modern, I bet it takes off like crazy.
In these politcally correct times, no one carries lighters anymore. So, it's become quite the thing to hold your lit-up cell phone over your head instead.
Well, the loop has been closed. Now you can download wallpaper for your cell with a picture of a lit lighter on it. This is so retro-modern, I bet it takes off like crazy.
Year-end nuttiness from Jib-Jab
Jib-Jab's year-ender "2-0-5", is up. It's not the gut-buster that "Your Land" or "Good to be in DC" was, but it's funny.
This is our holiday card this year
Apparently, Robynne sent out a link to the blog in lieu of a Holiday card. Unfortunately, she didn't tell me she was doing that, so most of the "family update" stuff has archived off the front page.
So, welcome to family and friends who don't normally make it over to little Curmudgeon in Training (or CIT, as we like to call it). While you're here, please look around a bit. You'll find a variety of topics; football, baseball, some news and commentary, current events in Southeast Asia (don't ask me why), strange and wonderful new inventions, etc. Please leave a comment, and check back regularly. I am a prolific SOB.
A quick family update, and a few pictures follow:
As many of you know, we moved out of little 3br home in Plano, where we've been since 1992, and took up residence in a rather larger house in Frisco. The move went well, and we had Thanksgiving in the new place, which finally got us to unpack most everything, hang a few pictures, and generally turn the place into a home. We love it and, once the omni-present construction, both of our neighbors' houses and the roads leading out to us, is complete, it's going to be ultra-fantastic.
Sorry, I don't have any pictures of the house..
Aly is in 2nd grade and is doing very well. She was the leading scorer on her soccer team in the fall and is looking forward to the spring season. She's doing great in school and is testing for the Gifted and Talented program in Jan, which she has a legitimate shot of making. She just celebrated her 8th birthday (more here), has grown a bunch, and is the sweetest little girl in the history of ever.
Drew is in pre-school at the same place he's been for a few years. He's doing great, health-wise, and turned 5 back in Sept. He's all boy - his room is full of trains, trucks, cars, and super-hero action figures, all of which he leaves lying around the house for daddy to step on. He's completely on-track in most developmental areas, which was a concern a while ago, but he's caught up nicely in most respects.
Robynne is working part-time at three jobs: Presby Plano (where she's been for years), the new Centennial Hospital in Frisco, and on a contract basis at a pediatrician's office. I am leading the effort, with support from many of you, to get her into private practice, where I think she will clean up. Drop her a note (pedi-ot@comcast.net) and tell her that she needs to do this. I'll take reinforcements anywhere I can get them.
Robynne's invention, the RES-Q Infant Wedge (more here) is selling at a brisk pace locally. Look for more news on this front in coming months. We're at a very exciting point with the product - the patent has been issued, it's got great word of mouth, and it's poised for some big stuff.
As for me, I'm still toiling away in the world of technology and project management consulting. Little Immedient, my employer for the past nearly 3 years, was acquired back in March by a larger consulting outfit called International Network Services. So far, this is turning out very well indeed for the survivors at little Immedient. I'm still travelling too much (I'm writing this from Seattle), but, other than that, it's all good.
A little further afield, my grandmother relocated from Florida to Dallas at the end of 2004. We're very happy to have her locally, and she's been able to join us for many significant events during the year. The kids love having their GG so close by. And my parents are in the process of moving out of the house I grew up in - they are building a new house in Frisco, about 10 minutes from us. It looks like it's going to be a beauty, and it makes all kinds of sense for them. We're very excited to have them move closer. In fact, this will be the closest they've been since the kids were born.
All in all, 2005 has been a banner year for Team Elkin - West Frisco Branch. We hope that the Holiday Season finds you all in good health and good situations. Please drop us a note and let us know how you're doing. Robynne can be reached at pedi-ot@comcast.net, or you can ping me at phelkin@gmail.com.
Happy Holiday Season to all!
So, welcome to family and friends who don't normally make it over to little Curmudgeon in Training (or CIT, as we like to call it). While you're here, please look around a bit. You'll find a variety of topics; football, baseball, some news and commentary, current events in Southeast Asia (don't ask me why), strange and wonderful new inventions, etc. Please leave a comment, and check back regularly. I am a prolific SOB.
A quick family update, and a few pictures follow:
As many of you know, we moved out of little 3br home in Plano, where we've been since 1992, and took up residence in a rather larger house in Frisco. The move went well, and we had Thanksgiving in the new place, which finally got us to unpack most everything, hang a few pictures, and generally turn the place into a home. We love it and, once the omni-present construction, both of our neighbors' houses and the roads leading out to us, is complete, it's going to be ultra-fantastic.
Sorry, I don't have any pictures of the house..
Aly is in 2nd grade and is doing very well. She was the leading scorer on her soccer team in the fall and is looking forward to the spring season. She's doing great in school and is testing for the Gifted and Talented program in Jan, which she has a legitimate shot of making. She just celebrated her 8th birthday (more here), has grown a bunch, and is the sweetest little girl in the history of ever.
Drew is in pre-school at the same place he's been for a few years. He's doing great, health-wise, and turned 5 back in Sept. He's all boy - his room is full of trains, trucks, cars, and super-hero action figures, all of which he leaves lying around the house for daddy to step on. He's completely on-track in most developmental areas, which was a concern a while ago, but he's caught up nicely in most respects.
Robynne is working part-time at three jobs: Presby Plano (where she's been for years), the new Centennial Hospital in Frisco, and on a contract basis at a pediatrician's office. I am leading the effort, with support from many of you, to get her into private practice, where I think she will clean up. Drop her a note (pedi-ot@comcast.net) and tell her that she needs to do this. I'll take reinforcements anywhere I can get them.
Robynne's invention, the RES-Q Infant Wedge (more here) is selling at a brisk pace locally. Look for more news on this front in coming months. We're at a very exciting point with the product - the patent has been issued, it's got great word of mouth, and it's poised for some big stuff.
As for me, I'm still toiling away in the world of technology and project management consulting. Little Immedient, my employer for the past nearly 3 years, was acquired back in March by a larger consulting outfit called International Network Services. So far, this is turning out very well indeed for the survivors at little Immedient. I'm still travelling too much (I'm writing this from Seattle), but, other than that, it's all good.
A little further afield, my grandmother relocated from Florida to Dallas at the end of 2004. We're very happy to have her locally, and she's been able to join us for many significant events during the year. The kids love having their GG so close by. And my parents are in the process of moving out of the house I grew up in - they are building a new house in Frisco, about 10 minutes from us. It looks like it's going to be a beauty, and it makes all kinds of sense for them. We're very excited to have them move closer. In fact, this will be the closest they've been since the kids were born.
All in all, 2005 has been a banner year for Team Elkin - West Frisco Branch. We hope that the Holiday Season finds you all in good health and good situations. Please drop us a note and let us know how you're doing. Robynne can be reached at pedi-ot@comcast.net, or you can ping me at phelkin@gmail.com.
Happy Holiday Season to all!
Cowboys - Redskins: Take my offensive line. Please
My friend Joe once gave me a bit of insight into how to build a successful NFL team. He said you should start with the lines and work your way out from there. It sounded like a good approach then, and it sounds even better now, the day after the Redskins completely had their way with the Cowboys 35-7.
To me, the Cowboys' problems in this game (and for the past few weeks) started with the offensive line. That's not where the problems ended; no one played particularly well. But, the O line was the root of all evil in DC yesterday.
We've watched the play of the entire line, and Torrin Tucker in particular, get worse each week. At some point, shouldn't they be getting, you know, better? Unless they're just not very good players to begin with.
I think that's where we are w/ Tucker. I just don't think he can play in the NFL. You hate to say that about a fellow human, but lets face it. Tucker spent more time on his back yesterday than a Thai hooker on Free Condom Night in Patpong.
Bledsoe has proven beyond a shadow of a doubt that he's still got something, as long as he has time. A more mobile QB might not have taken 7 sacks yesterday, but even Mike Vick was going down at least 5 times. I counted at least four occasions where the offensive lineman (Tucker, more often that not) got blown off the line so far that he actually wound up 5 yards upfield from where his man had just crushed the life out of Bledsoe. For most of the game, it looked like Drew was standing in front of the main entrance at Pink Elementary at 3:00 on the last day of school. At least, that's what it would look like if the students at Pink suddenly all developed enormous thyroid problems.
Barber and Jones have shown enough over their very short careers to make me think that the lack of a running game is not completely down to them. Unless you're Walter Payton (and neither of these guys are), you need some holes to run through. What's happening on passing downs speaks for itself, thus the offensive line is suspect in all aspects, running game included. They are, to me, guilty until proven innocent.
Santana Moss has the Cowboys' number like no one else this year. The Cowboys' D may have been a bit overrated earlier in the year, but they did manage to carry the offense, and keep the team in most games. It's hard to blame them for getting torched by the Redskins. I'm surprised it took them until game 14 to finally wear down. They spent WAY too much time on the field yesterday, thanks to the offense's inability to do anything.
And I've got to finish up with a mention of the Pear-Shaped Football "Genius" and his staff. We've watched this team get worse from week to week since the bye. What, exactly, have you done to improve things? Is this REALLY the best we can do on the offensive line? There isn't ANY other combination of guys you want to try out? Didn't you draft an O lineman in the third round this year? Don't you even want to look at him?
And what the HELL was Bledsoe doing in the game when it was 35-0 late in the 3rd quarter and he was getting hammered every time he dropped back? Did you REALLY think there was that big a comeback in these guys? Romo and Henson haven't smelled the field yet this year. It hasn't been appropriate for them to do so in the close games, but yesterday was an outstanding opportunity to allow them to take one for the team. If Bledsoe gets hurt, it really is all over.
The Cowboys still have an outside chance to make the playoffs. The entire season basically comes down to this Saturday's game at Carolina. You think Julius Peppers is looking over his contract, counting up all the incentives that he can make against this ridiculous line?
To me, the Cowboys' problems in this game (and for the past few weeks) started with the offensive line. That's not where the problems ended; no one played particularly well. But, the O line was the root of all evil in DC yesterday.
We've watched the play of the entire line, and Torrin Tucker in particular, get worse each week. At some point, shouldn't they be getting, you know, better? Unless they're just not very good players to begin with.
I think that's where we are w/ Tucker. I just don't think he can play in the NFL. You hate to say that about a fellow human, but lets face it. Tucker spent more time on his back yesterday than a Thai hooker on Free Condom Night in Patpong.
Bledsoe has proven beyond a shadow of a doubt that he's still got something, as long as he has time. A more mobile QB might not have taken 7 sacks yesterday, but even Mike Vick was going down at least 5 times. I counted at least four occasions where the offensive lineman (Tucker, more often that not) got blown off the line so far that he actually wound up 5 yards upfield from where his man had just crushed the life out of Bledsoe. For most of the game, it looked like Drew was standing in front of the main entrance at Pink Elementary at 3:00 on the last day of school. At least, that's what it would look like if the students at Pink suddenly all developed enormous thyroid problems.
Barber and Jones have shown enough over their very short careers to make me think that the lack of a running game is not completely down to them. Unless you're Walter Payton (and neither of these guys are), you need some holes to run through. What's happening on passing downs speaks for itself, thus the offensive line is suspect in all aspects, running game included. They are, to me, guilty until proven innocent.
Santana Moss has the Cowboys' number like no one else this year. The Cowboys' D may have been a bit overrated earlier in the year, but they did manage to carry the offense, and keep the team in most games. It's hard to blame them for getting torched by the Redskins. I'm surprised it took them until game 14 to finally wear down. They spent WAY too much time on the field yesterday, thanks to the offense's inability to do anything.
And I've got to finish up with a mention of the Pear-Shaped Football "Genius" and his staff. We've watched this team get worse from week to week since the bye. What, exactly, have you done to improve things? Is this REALLY the best we can do on the offensive line? There isn't ANY other combination of guys you want to try out? Didn't you draft an O lineman in the third round this year? Don't you even want to look at him?
And what the HELL was Bledsoe doing in the game when it was 35-0 late in the 3rd quarter and he was getting hammered every time he dropped back? Did you REALLY think there was that big a comeback in these guys? Romo and Henson haven't smelled the field yet this year. It hasn't been appropriate for them to do so in the close games, but yesterday was an outstanding opportunity to allow them to take one for the team. If Bledsoe gets hurt, it really is all over.
The Cowboys still have an outside chance to make the playoffs. The entire season basically comes down to this Saturday's game at Carolina. You think Julius Peppers is looking over his contract, counting up all the incentives that he can make against this ridiculous line?
Sunday, December 18, 2005
I hate doctors who think their time is more valuable than mine
I had an unpleasant run-in with one of my doctor's partners tonight that just reinforces my opinion about many doctors.
The situation was this: I had called in refills to my pharmacy for a couple of prescriptions yesterday, with the intention of picking them up today. I got going on a few things, and tuned in the Cowboy game/disaster, and basically I just forgot about it until around 5:15. My pharmacy closed at 4:00 today.
This was dumb on my part. No question about it. Especially since I'm back on the plane tomorrow at 7:00 a.m. to Seattle.
So, I called my doctor's answering service, explained the situation to them and they paged the doctor for me.
My doc is not on call this weekend, but one of his partners was. The partner called me. I explained the situation, and asked for the first major favor I've requested from that practice in the 10 years I've been a patient there. Could he please call the 24-hour pharmacy and request a few pills to get me through the week (which is Christmas week, btw)?
Not only did he refuse to do it, but he was a real dick about it. "We don't handle prescriptions on weekends, especially due to poor planning on your part," he tells me.
What an effing jerk!!
I don't disagree that it was poor planning on my part. I made a mistake by not picking up the prescriptions.
What I've got a problem with is his crap attitude. I was asking for a favor. It would require minimal effort on his part. Call the damn pharmacy (I'll give you the number, buddy) and request a few pills (I'll tell you what I need, as well). That's it. He doesn't need to get off the couch.
Is he willing to do me a favor? Hell no. Is he willing to at least be nice about it? Not at all.
Dude, please help me out here. What is it that you're supposed to be doing, again? Helping me stay healthy? How does being a colossal jerk-weed about this help me in any way? Does it teach me a lesson? Hell no. I know better than to do this. I made a mistake. It happens. Can you help me fix it? Or would you rather score some cheap points off me? The latter? OK. As long as I know what to expect.
We know a lot of doctors (my wife is in the medical field), and the vast majority of them are not like this at all. However, I maintain that there are more a-hole doctors than any other profession, per capita. Probably lawyers are up there too, but I haven't had to deal w/ many lawyers, so I wouldn't know about that.
The impression that I got from the ON-CALL doctor (as in, he's going to get calls from his and his partners' patients) was that I shouldn't have been bothering him with my silly little "health-related issue". On the weekend, I need to call 911. If it's not serious enough for that, then it's not serious enough for him. Not when his time is SOO valuable. Certainly its more valuable than mine. Isn't it?
What a silly little peasant I am.
There, now I feel better.
The situation was this: I had called in refills to my pharmacy for a couple of prescriptions yesterday, with the intention of picking them up today. I got going on a few things, and tuned in the Cowboy game/disaster, and basically I just forgot about it until around 5:15. My pharmacy closed at 4:00 today.
This was dumb on my part. No question about it. Especially since I'm back on the plane tomorrow at 7:00 a.m. to Seattle.
So, I called my doctor's answering service, explained the situation to them and they paged the doctor for me.
My doc is not on call this weekend, but one of his partners was. The partner called me. I explained the situation, and asked for the first major favor I've requested from that practice in the 10 years I've been a patient there. Could he please call the 24-hour pharmacy and request a few pills to get me through the week (which is Christmas week, btw)?
Not only did he refuse to do it, but he was a real dick about it. "We don't handle prescriptions on weekends, especially due to poor planning on your part," he tells me.
What an effing jerk!!
I don't disagree that it was poor planning on my part. I made a mistake by not picking up the prescriptions.
What I've got a problem with is his crap attitude. I was asking for a favor. It would require minimal effort on his part. Call the damn pharmacy (I'll give you the number, buddy) and request a few pills (I'll tell you what I need, as well). That's it. He doesn't need to get off the couch.
Is he willing to do me a favor? Hell no. Is he willing to at least be nice about it? Not at all.
Dude, please help me out here. What is it that you're supposed to be doing, again? Helping me stay healthy? How does being a colossal jerk-weed about this help me in any way? Does it teach me a lesson? Hell no. I know better than to do this. I made a mistake. It happens. Can you help me fix it? Or would you rather score some cheap points off me? The latter? OK. As long as I know what to expect.
We know a lot of doctors (my wife is in the medical field), and the vast majority of them are not like this at all. However, I maintain that there are more a-hole doctors than any other profession, per capita. Probably lawyers are up there too, but I haven't had to deal w/ many lawyers, so I wouldn't know about that.
The impression that I got from the ON-CALL doctor (as in, he's going to get calls from his and his partners' patients) was that I shouldn't have been bothering him with my silly little "health-related issue". On the weekend, I need to call 911. If it's not serious enough for that, then it's not serious enough for him. Not when his time is SOO valuable. Certainly its more valuable than mine. Isn't it?
What a silly little peasant I am.
There, now I feel better.
Thursday, December 15, 2005
In case you were wondering, Japanese wives do fart
From the Tokyo Times, via BoingBoing, here's a story covering how long Japanese brides waited before tooting (or "beeping", as it's referred to in my house) in front of their husbands.
I will make no further comment regarding the timing of this event in my home. After all, I am going to be home tomorrow night.
I will make no further comment regarding the timing of this event in my home. After all, I am going to be home tomorrow night.
Did you ever think you'd see this headline?
I said it the other day, and I'll say it again. Iraq is not where it needs to be yet, and it has taken too long and cost too much.
That said, this is some validation if ever there was any. I'm pleased to see that we're not blowing this off (well, some are), and that the story is getting it's due.
The next six months are going to be very interesting, both in Iraq and in the larger Arab world. Will a wave of popular revolts against the fascist dictatorships in Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Syria, and other places spontaneously erupt? It sure ain't out of the question folks.
That said, this is some validation if ever there was any. I'm pleased to see that we're not blowing this off (well, some are), and that the story is getting it's due.
The next six months are going to be very interesting, both in Iraq and in the larger Arab world. Will a wave of popular revolts against the fascist dictatorships in Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Syria, and other places spontaneously erupt? It sure ain't out of the question folks.
This ALMOST makes me want an iPod
Here's a cool contraption for your iPod - the iChair. It's an iPod stand with little rubber arms to hold your player. The feet are also speakers.
I still love my Creative Zen Xtra, and I paid $100 less than I would have for a smaller-capacity iPod, but this gizmo is almost enough to convert me.
I still love my Creative Zen Xtra, and I paid $100 less than I would have for a smaller-capacity iPod, but this gizmo is almost enough to convert me.
This guy can't be for real
Everyone's favorite elected nut-job, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, is at it again, this time calling the Holocaust a "myth".
It's hard to figure out what the hell he's after. Iran had been on a more conciliatory track up until recently, but Ahmadinejad's recent statements (calling for the destruction of Israel, for Israel to be moved to Europe, and this latest whack-out) are clearly putting an end to that. You have to think that Ahmadinejad's aim is to stir up support at home, but he's also giving new life to the moderate movement, such as it is, in Tehran.
Another insane statement is apparently always just around the corner with this clown. Stay tuned for more from the Mahmoud Show, coming to CIT any minute now.
It's hard to figure out what the hell he's after. Iran had been on a more conciliatory track up until recently, but Ahmadinejad's recent statements (calling for the destruction of Israel, for Israel to be moved to Europe, and this latest whack-out) are clearly putting an end to that. You have to think that Ahmadinejad's aim is to stir up support at home, but he's also giving new life to the moderate movement, such as it is, in Tehran.
Another insane statement is apparently always just around the corner with this clown. Stay tuned for more from the Mahmoud Show, coming to CIT any minute now.
Aly's 8th birthday
I don't usually post much about the family, but I'm going to make an exception for this: My daughter, Alyssa, had her 8th birthday party at the house last weekend. We had 20+ kids, and some of their parents over for a magic show performed by Jimmy the Magician (who's not in the David Copperfield class as a magician, but is great with kids). Aly had a GREAT time, and the party was a huge success.
Here are a few pictures from the bash, including a shot of Aly with her Bratz cake, Jimmy levitating the birthday girl, little brother Drew and the birthday gang, and Aly with her GG (my grandmother.
Here are a few pictures from the bash, including a shot of Aly with her Bratz cake, Jimmy levitating the birthday girl, little brother Drew and the birthday gang, and Aly with her GG (my grandmother.
Wednesday, December 14, 2005
Furniture for the rough part of town
If you live in a dicey neighborhood, you may want to look into this side table that doubles as a truncheon and shield. It's just the thing if your next kegger gets out of hand.
Great gag gift
These are just the thing for your DIY particle accelerator. Oh, you don't have a home particle accelerator? Get with it, man!
Give a set of these super-magnets to your friends (or enemies) and watch the fun begin. These things are powerful enough that the manufacturer (United Nuclear - there's your first clue about the power you're dealing with) feels compelled to include this blurb in the disclaimer:
Give a set of these super-magnets to your friends (or enemies) and watch the fun begin. These things are powerful enough that the manufacturer (United Nuclear - there's your first clue about the power you're dealing with) feels compelled to include this blurb in the disclaimer:
Beware - you must think ahead when moving these magnets. If carrying one into another room, carefully plan the route you will be taking. Computers & monitors will be affected in an entire room. Loose metallic objects and other magnets may become airborne and fly considerable distances - and at great speed - to attach themselves to this magnet. If you get caught in between the two, you can get injured. Two of these magnets close together can create an almost unbelievable magnetic field that can be very dangerous. Of all the unique items we offer for sale, we consider these two items the most dangerous of all. Our normal packing & shipping personnel refuse to package these magnets - our engineers have to do it. This is no joke and we cannot stress it strongly enough - that you must be extremely careful - and know what you're doing with these magnets. Take Note: Two of the 3" x 1" disc magnets can very easily break your arm if they get out of control.
Why is "Tookie" a cause celebre'?
I need some help from the massive CIT readership on this one: Why has Stanley "Tookie" Williams, executed by the state of California on Tuesday, become such a cause?
This is a guy who was convicted and sentenced to death for killing four people. That, to me, is where it begins and ends.
Some other facts that, I suppose, contribute to the fervor on both sides of the issue: He helped found the Crips, a gang that has been a source of significant violence across the country for 20+ years. And, on the other side of the coin, in recent years, he started writing children's books and speaking out against the violence of gang life.
Fine. He attempted to make up for some of the almighty bad stuff he did in his life. Wonderful. He killed 4 people.
I suppose any execution in California, esp of a person of some profile, is going to stir this sort of thing up. But I just don't get it.
This is a guy who was convicted and sentenced to death for killing four people. That, to me, is where it begins and ends.
Some other facts that, I suppose, contribute to the fervor on both sides of the issue: He helped found the Crips, a gang that has been a source of significant violence across the country for 20+ years. And, on the other side of the coin, in recent years, he started writing children's books and speaking out against the violence of gang life.
Fine. He attempted to make up for some of the almighty bad stuff he did in his life. Wonderful. He killed 4 people.
I suppose any execution in California, esp of a person of some profile, is going to stir this sort of thing up. But I just don't get it.
DIY voodoo for your kitchen
Here are two fun gifts for those on your Holiday shopping list: A voodoo knife block and a voodoo toothpick holder. Neither one is really acceptable for homes with little kids, but they sure are conversation starters!
Cogill is euphoric about "King Kong"
Peter Jackson's big-time remake of King Kong opens this week, and WFAA's Gary Cogill (the one movie critic I almost always agree with) has a glowing review of it.
This one is a must-see for me. I hope Robynne feels the same way.
This one is a must-see for me. I hope Robynne feels the same way.
Monday, December 12, 2005
Something semi-encouraging regarding Burma
The Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) has issued a more-strongly-worded-than-usual statement regarding the (lack of) progress Burma has made on it's "roadmap to democracy".
ASEAN makes it a point to keep out of members' internal doings, but a couple of things are compelling them to take a stronger stand vs the Burmese junta:
1. ASEAN is working up a new charter calling for more freedom, democracy, and good governance. Burma is a sterling anti-example of all this.
2. ASEAN is in the best position to put pressure on the junta, and the rest of the world is reminding the members of this fact.
If they're serious about it, ASEAN could have some impact. However, the junta is making too much money in the drug trade to feel much pressure from trade sanctions or any statements, strongly worded or not.
ASEAN makes it a point to keep out of members' internal doings, but a couple of things are compelling them to take a stronger stand vs the Burmese junta:
1. ASEAN is working up a new charter calling for more freedom, democracy, and good governance. Burma is a sterling anti-example of all this.
2. ASEAN is in the best position to put pressure on the junta, and the rest of the world is reminding the members of this fact.
If they're serious about it, ASEAN could have some impact. However, the junta is making too much money in the drug trade to feel much pressure from trade sanctions or any statements, strongly worded or not.
Is calling something "gay" insulting to homosexuals?
I received a comment on the iPod underwear post that I'm not sure how to read. Help me out here:
I think I've hit one of this person's nerves. That was not my intent. I fully support anyone's lifestyle as long as: 1) it doesn't hurt anyone, and 2) they don't get in my face about it. In our little suburban neighborhood we have gay neighbors, mixed race neighbors, Asians, blacks, Jews (thank you), conservative Christians, and probably some others that I'm not thinking about because, well, I don't think about it much.
With all that disclaimer done, I really wonder if the term "gay", as in "that is sooo gay", when referring to something flamboyant, overly sentimental, or generally not masculine, is offensive to homosexuals?
On one had, it seems like a no-brainer - of course it is. I realize this by applying my usual test for discrimination. I substitute the word "Jew" for the noun or adjective in question, and ask myself how I'd react. In this case, it is, as I said, a no-brainer.
On the other hand, using "gay" to describe something that is, well, flamboyant, overly sentimental, or generally not masculine has become a part of pop culture. You hear it on TV, in the movies, on the radio (Bob Sturm and Dan McDowell, please stand up), and as part of every day conversation. If it were that offensive, wouldn't there be an outcry? If the word "Jew" was used like this, there definitely would, and I'd be leading it.
I'd really like some feedback on this. Mr/Ms Anonymous Commenter, or anyone else for that matter, please help me out here.
By the way, I'm going to refrain from noting that making anonymous comments is gay.
when you call this "the gayest thing ever" I assume you are talking about
the classic denotation of the word gay. I do believe that having your tunes
available when you are in you underwear is one of the happiest things I could
think of. Keep up the good work and thank you for not offending a significant
portion of our population by using the term "gay" as a pejorative.
I think I've hit one of this person's nerves. That was not my intent. I fully support anyone's lifestyle as long as: 1) it doesn't hurt anyone, and 2) they don't get in my face about it. In our little suburban neighborhood we have gay neighbors, mixed race neighbors, Asians, blacks, Jews (thank you), conservative Christians, and probably some others that I'm not thinking about because, well, I don't think about it much.
With all that disclaimer done, I really wonder if the term "gay", as in "that is sooo gay", when referring to something flamboyant, overly sentimental, or generally not masculine, is offensive to homosexuals?
On one had, it seems like a no-brainer - of course it is. I realize this by applying my usual test for discrimination. I substitute the word "Jew" for the noun or adjective in question, and ask myself how I'd react. In this case, it is, as I said, a no-brainer.
On the other hand, using "gay" to describe something that is, well, flamboyant, overly sentimental, or generally not masculine has become a part of pop culture. You hear it on TV, in the movies, on the radio (Bob Sturm and Dan McDowell, please stand up), and as part of every day conversation. If it were that offensive, wouldn't there be an outcry? If the word "Jew" was used like this, there definitely would, and I'd be leading it.
I'd really like some feedback on this. Mr/Ms Anonymous Commenter, or anyone else for that matter, please help me out here.
By the way, I'm going to refrain from noting that making anonymous comments is gay.
Zito may not be leaving Oakland
There's been some talk that Barry Zito may have been on the trading block in Oakland, and that Texas was one of the potential destinations.
Well, it looks like Zito may not be going anywhere. I hope this is wrong, as this is a move I could get behind.
Stay tuned.
Well, it looks like Zito may not be going anywhere. I hope this is wrong, as this is a move I could get behind.
Stay tuned.
I guess we're supposed to be excited by this
The Rangers have traded for former All-Star right-hander Vicente Padilla from the Phillies on Monday. They gave up the old player-to-be-named. It will be interesting to see who this winds up being.
Padilla was part of the Curt Schilling trade back in 2000, and was the last player from that trade left with the Phillies. Think Philadelphia wants a do-over?
Padilla has had some success in the past, and was OK last year (9-12 with a 4.71 ERA in 27 starts). He'll be a middle-of-the-rotation guy in Arlington.
Encouraging, but not nearly enough.
Padilla was part of the Curt Schilling trade back in 2000, and was the last player from that trade left with the Phillies. Think Philadelphia wants a do-over?
Padilla has had some success in the past, and was OK last year (9-12 with a 4.71 ERA in 27 starts). He'll be a middle-of-the-rotation guy in Arlington.
Encouraging, but not nearly enough.
You got something better to offer, Abu Musab?
Voting is underway in Iraq. And, predictably, the fundamentalist "insurgents" are completely against it, making their point with numerous bombing attacks in Baghdad and elsewhere in the country.
Four different groups issued a joint statement, declaring the voting a "satanic project" and referring to the "so-called political process" several times. Well, what else are we going to call it?
Instead of a democratically elected government, these crackpots favor an Islamic state, dominated by the minority Sunnis. THAT certainly seems like a better idea, doesn't it?
It's taken too long, cost too much, and it's not over. But, we should recognize this event for what it is - an enormous step forward in the Arab world. I'm not a very religous person, but I am praying that this works.
Four different groups issued a joint statement, declaring the voting a "satanic project" and referring to the "so-called political process" several times. Well, what else are we going to call it?
Instead of a democratically elected government, these crackpots favor an Islamic state, dominated by the minority Sunnis. THAT certainly seems like a better idea, doesn't it?
It's taken too long, cost too much, and it's not over. But, we should recognize this event for what it is - an enormous step forward in the Arab world. I'm not a very religous person, but I am praying that this works.
Cowboys-Chiefs post mortem
I'm back in the Emerald City and trying to shake off the 4 gallons of terror-induced adrenaline that got pumped into my system during the extremely choppy flight, so I'll be up for a while. Since sleep is out of the question at the moment, I'd like make a few Cowboy points before the Monday morning papers hit the stands and totally cloud my thinking.
Offensive line
These guys blocked a little, which is what gave the Cowboys a chance (as mentioned here on Saturday). Bledsoe still got clobbered a few times, but it was a lot better than last week. Of course, no one is going to confuse Jared Allen with Michael Strahan, or, for that matter, the KC defensive front with the Giants'. Regardless, Bledsoe had time and that makes one heck of a difference.
Cowboys' running game
Marion Barber showed some flashes, which was encouraging. Who the heck is this guy wearing number 21? Where is the Julius Jones who ripped up the NFL late last season? One hopes that he's still feeling the effects of the ankle injury, and it's not because he, in truth, is an average to below-average back. We're still waiting for Julius to log a 100-yard game, and nothing we saw on Sunday indicates that he's about to throw one down.
Parcells
The Pear-Shaped One was on his best behavior on Sunday. No obvious explosions, no punching assistant coaches. For a change, that stuff was happening on the opposing sideline much more than on the Cowboys'. He's got a long way to go before I'm going to reinstate his "genius" title, but it was nice to see his blood pressure remain in normal range.
The Cowboys in comparison to the rest of the league
I said on Saturday that the Cowboys are very average, and I'm standing by that. I guess I'm still spoiled by the glorious days of Jimmy, when the Cowboys dominated (Ah yes, the good old days, when, if memory serves, they went 16-0 for like 4 seasons in a row. Didn't they?). This year's edition is just barely in the top half of the NFC. In this day and age, maybe that's the best we can hope for. They stay in just about every game until the 4th quarter, and are in a position to attempt to win almost every week. Perhaps that translates to the bigger picture as well - they'll make the playoffs (probably) and, once there, they'll trust that anything is possible for a veteran team with some talent. Granted, the Cowboys are not all that good, but someone please tell me who in the NFC is significantly better. Seattle...and...er, um, yeah.
It's on to Washington next week. The Redskins are even more inconsistent and, frankly, I don't think they're as good as the Cowboys. However, we see every week how much that can matter - not very much at all. For God's sake, the ridiculous NY Jets beat the much-more-talented Raiders on Sunday, which pretty much proves that superior-but-inconsistent teams (the Raiders are the poster-boys for that classification) are vulnerable against anyone.
Offensive line
These guys blocked a little, which is what gave the Cowboys a chance (as mentioned here on Saturday). Bledsoe still got clobbered a few times, but it was a lot better than last week. Of course, no one is going to confuse Jared Allen with Michael Strahan, or, for that matter, the KC defensive front with the Giants'. Regardless, Bledsoe had time and that makes one heck of a difference.
Cowboys' running game
Marion Barber showed some flashes, which was encouraging. Who the heck is this guy wearing number 21? Where is the Julius Jones who ripped up the NFL late last season? One hopes that he's still feeling the effects of the ankle injury, and it's not because he, in truth, is an average to below-average back. We're still waiting for Julius to log a 100-yard game, and nothing we saw on Sunday indicates that he's about to throw one down.
Parcells
The Pear-Shaped One was on his best behavior on Sunday. No obvious explosions, no punching assistant coaches. For a change, that stuff was happening on the opposing sideline much more than on the Cowboys'. He's got a long way to go before I'm going to reinstate his "genius" title, but it was nice to see his blood pressure remain in normal range.
The Cowboys in comparison to the rest of the league
I said on Saturday that the Cowboys are very average, and I'm standing by that. I guess I'm still spoiled by the glorious days of Jimmy, when the Cowboys dominated (Ah yes, the good old days, when, if memory serves, they went 16-0 for like 4 seasons in a row. Didn't they?). This year's edition is just barely in the top half of the NFC. In this day and age, maybe that's the best we can hope for. They stay in just about every game until the 4th quarter, and are in a position to attempt to win almost every week. Perhaps that translates to the bigger picture as well - they'll make the playoffs (probably) and, once there, they'll trust that anything is possible for a veteran team with some talent. Granted, the Cowboys are not all that good, but someone please tell me who in the NFC is significantly better. Seattle...and...er, um, yeah.
It's on to Washington next week. The Redskins are even more inconsistent and, frankly, I don't think they're as good as the Cowboys. However, we see every week how much that can matter - not very much at all. For God's sake, the ridiculous NY Jets beat the much-more-talented Raiders on Sunday, which pretty much proves that superior-but-inconsistent teams (the Raiders are the poster-boys for that classification) are vulnerable against anyone.
Sunday, December 11, 2005
Matt Morris will not be a Ranger
The tale of Rangers' pitching woes continues, as Matt Morris has replied with a friendly, "Thanks, but no thanks" to the Rangers' offer of 3 years and $25 million.
While this packs all the wallop of a 1986-vintage Mike Tyson right to the body, I can't really find fault with the Rangers' approach to the pursuit. And this from me, who finds fault with the Rangers' handling of the traffic lights at Ballpark Way and the I-30 service road.
The Rangers went to three years, which is longer than the other Morris suitors at the time. You can't fault the dough. This is Matt Morris, not Cy Young. There's not much the Rangers could have done differently. Except maybe fire Buck Showalter, but that's not happening any more than two other possible fixes: Moving to a new ballpark or the NL.
So, what's left? Washburn, Millwood, or Weaver? All clients of the Baseball Antichrist. Jon Daniels may have to do his best Daniel Webster and venture into the Newport Beach Underworld. Yikes. A trade remains the best possibility, but who's on the block?
The clock's a-tickin'.
While this packs all the wallop of a 1986-vintage Mike Tyson right to the body, I can't really find fault with the Rangers' approach to the pursuit. And this from me, who finds fault with the Rangers' handling of the traffic lights at Ballpark Way and the I-30 service road.
The Rangers went to three years, which is longer than the other Morris suitors at the time. You can't fault the dough. This is Matt Morris, not Cy Young. There's not much the Rangers could have done differently. Except maybe fire Buck Showalter, but that's not happening any more than two other possible fixes: Moving to a new ballpark or the NL.
So, what's left? Washburn, Millwood, or Weaver? All clients of the Baseball Antichrist. Jon Daniels may have to do his best Daniel Webster and venture into the Newport Beach Underworld. Yikes. A trade remains the best possibility, but who's on the block?
The clock's a-tickin'.
Saturday, December 10, 2005
Burmese troops beating up on Naga rebels
Ethnic Naga rebels in Burma's far northwest are reporting that Burmese troops have launched a "major offensive" against several rebel bases.
The Naga have been fighting both Burma and India for a homeland they want to carve out of northwest Burma and northeast India. The rebellion has been going on for over 40 years.
Coupled with the extension of Aung San Suu Kyi's house arrest, the move of the Burmese capital from Rangoon into the jungle, and other less-than-encouraging signs, it seems clearer and clearer that absolutely nothing has changed in Burma, nor is change likely to occur anytime soon. The military junta, which has illegally ruled the country since they threw out popular election results in 1990, appears to be operating as normal - talking publicly about the "Roadmap to Democracy", but in reality further securing their hold on the country.
There will be the usual denunciations from the UN and the West, but nothing will really happen.
Stay tuned for more non-events from the Golden Land.
The Naga have been fighting both Burma and India for a homeland they want to carve out of northwest Burma and northeast India. The rebellion has been going on for over 40 years.
Coupled with the extension of Aung San Suu Kyi's house arrest, the move of the Burmese capital from Rangoon into the jungle, and other less-than-encouraging signs, it seems clearer and clearer that absolutely nothing has changed in Burma, nor is change likely to occur anytime soon. The military junta, which has illegally ruled the country since they threw out popular election results in 1990, appears to be operating as normal - talking publicly about the "Roadmap to Democracy", but in reality further securing their hold on the country.
There will be the usual denunciations from the UN and the West, but nothing will really happen.
Stay tuned for more non-events from the Golden Land.
Khmer Rouge trials get closer to reality
Trials for the surviving senior commanders of the Khmer Rouge got a little closer to reality recently.
The UN has sent a group of officials to Phnom Penh to set up full-time offices starting in January.
This is good news, I suppose. However, the KR figures set for trial are in far greater danger of dying of old age than they are in being sentenced in a trial. The KR got kicked out of Phnom Penh in 1978. Pol Pot has already expired. The rest of them ain't getting any younger.
Please remember that the Khmer Rouge was responsible for the deaths of between 1 and 2 million Cambodians during their three year reign of mayhem and terror between 1975 and 1978. Don't you think it's time for at least some of them to face justice?
The UN has sent a group of officials to Phnom Penh to set up full-time offices starting in January.
This is good news, I suppose. However, the KR figures set for trial are in far greater danger of dying of old age than they are in being sentenced in a trial. The KR got kicked out of Phnom Penh in 1978. Pol Pot has already expired. The rest of them ain't getting any younger.
Please remember that the Khmer Rouge was responsible for the deaths of between 1 and 2 million Cambodians during their three year reign of mayhem and terror between 1975 and 1978. Don't you think it's time for at least some of them to face justice?
World is "losing patience" with Iran, says head of IAEA
Mohamed ElBaradei, head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has said the world is losing patience with Iran over its nuclear program.
ElBaradei made his statement while in Oslo to accept the Nobel Peace Prize.
That's nice, but what, exactly, does it mean?
ElBaradei made his statement while in Oslo to accept the Nobel Peace Prize.
That's nice, but what, exactly, does it mean?
World's most annyoing alarm clock
They'll be using this gizmo at Guantanamo Bay to get the internees to talk.
"Tell us where Osama is, or we'll put you back in the room with the 'Blowfly'."
"NNNNOOOOOOOOO!!!!!"
"Tell us where Osama is, or we'll put you back in the room with the 'Blowfly'."
"NNNNOOOOOOOOO!!!!!"
Dog laughing calms other dogs
Um, OK. Sounds reasonable to me. Assuming you go along with the idea that dogs laugh.
The differences between Channukah and Christmas
Reading through Brad Feld's blog today and had to lift this one. Here's a primer on the differences between our little Channukah and mighty Christmas.
Richard Pryor is dead
The funniest comedian in the history of ever has left the building. Richard Pryor, who was YEARS ahead of his time, suffered a fatal heart attack on Saturday. He was 65.
Pryor's early work was so outrageously funny that it is still a riot 30 years later. Many have approached his level since - Eddie Murphy, Chris Rock, Dave Chappelle, and others. But none has equaled him. Keep in mind that Pryor was doing his best stuff when those other guys were the funniest kids in the preschools.
His life took a serious turn for the worse in 1980, when he nearly killed himself in a fiery accident while freebasing cocaine. He came back from that near-fatal incident and incorporated it into his act. However, he was diagnosed with MS in the early 90s and his health quickly deteriorated. He attempted a comeback in the mid-90s, but was obviously disabled by the disease.
Regardless of the crappy hand he was dealt later in life, there is NO DOUBT that Pryor contributed to American culture and society. He will be missed, but you can look forward to catching his headline act in Heaven for eternity.
Pryor's early work was so outrageously funny that it is still a riot 30 years later. Many have approached his level since - Eddie Murphy, Chris Rock, Dave Chappelle, and others. But none has equaled him. Keep in mind that Pryor was doing his best stuff when those other guys were the funniest kids in the preschools.
His life took a serious turn for the worse in 1980, when he nearly killed himself in a fiery accident while freebasing cocaine. He came back from that near-fatal incident and incorporated it into his act. However, he was diagnosed with MS in the early 90s and his health quickly deteriorated. He attempted a comeback in the mid-90s, but was obviously disabled by the disease.
Regardless of the crappy hand he was dealt later in life, there is NO DOUBT that Pryor contributed to American culture and society. He will be missed, but you can look forward to catching his headline act in Heaven for eternity.
Pro football preview
Since the colleges teams are busy taking their finals (no, really, they are - I'm totally serious), we'll go right to the pros this week:
Chicago @ Pittsburgh - We finally get to see if the Bears are really really for real. I don't think they are. I like the Steelers here, and probably big.
Colts @ Jacksonville - 13-0? Probably. They're not going undefeated, but this is not where they're going to lose. I suspect that either San Diego or Seattle, and possibly both, will have the honor of ending the Colts' perfect season. Not the Jags.
Houston @ Tennessee - The most confusing game of the weekend. I still think of the Titans as the Oilers. The Texans are soooo bad. The Titans in a landslide in this one.
Giants @ Philadelphia - The Eagles have quit. The crowd will probably start booing during warm-ups. I think the only drama left for the Eagles is waiting to see when Andy Reid finally blows his stack
KC @ Dallas - It's time to face facts: The Cowboys are very average. The O line is breaking down and is exposing Bledsoe for what he is: An aging, immobile QB who has never grasped the fact that he can't hold the ball for more than a few seconds. The Cowboy defense is serious, and the return of Anthony Henry will help improve things significantly on that side of the ball. If the offensive line can block a little, the 'Boys have a chance. If they continue the abysmal play we saw last week, forget it.
Comedic Value Game of the Week - As usual, there are many contenders. Try as I might to pare it down to one, I just can't. Thus, we have the unprecedented three-fer:
Detroit @ Green Bay - This is your Sunday night game, and I think Desperate Housewives is a repeat. Fortunately for me, I'll be on an airplane during this dog. I hope the rest of you have some laundry to do. Maybe you can get a jump on your taxes.
New Orleans @ Atlanta - Another crap Monday night game. I really feel bad for Al Michaels. He has to spend 4 hours in the booth with Madden (whom I suspect has a tremendous case of BO), watching garbage like this. Atlanta will kill the pitiful Saints. Why would anyone want to return to the Crescent Toilet?
Oakland @ Jets - Ace said it best earlier this week - the J-E-T-S sure do S-U-C-K. He thinks they need Vince Young. I think they need an exorcist and/or a plane crash (wow, that was dark - sorry. Not really in the spirit of the season, is it?).
I'm not going to top that last line, so we'll end here. Go (your team here)!
Chicago @ Pittsburgh - We finally get to see if the Bears are really really for real. I don't think they are. I like the Steelers here, and probably big.
Colts @ Jacksonville - 13-0? Probably. They're not going undefeated, but this is not where they're going to lose. I suspect that either San Diego or Seattle, and possibly both, will have the honor of ending the Colts' perfect season. Not the Jags.
Houston @ Tennessee - The most confusing game of the weekend. I still think of the Titans as the Oilers. The Texans are soooo bad. The Titans in a landslide in this one.
Giants @ Philadelphia - The Eagles have quit. The crowd will probably start booing during warm-ups. I think the only drama left for the Eagles is waiting to see when Andy Reid finally blows his stack
KC @ Dallas - It's time to face facts: The Cowboys are very average. The O line is breaking down and is exposing Bledsoe for what he is: An aging, immobile QB who has never grasped the fact that he can't hold the ball for more than a few seconds. The Cowboy defense is serious, and the return of Anthony Henry will help improve things significantly on that side of the ball. If the offensive line can block a little, the 'Boys have a chance. If they continue the abysmal play we saw last week, forget it.
Comedic Value Game of the Week - As usual, there are many contenders. Try as I might to pare it down to one, I just can't. Thus, we have the unprecedented three-fer:
Detroit @ Green Bay - This is your Sunday night game, and I think Desperate Housewives is a repeat. Fortunately for me, I'll be on an airplane during this dog. I hope the rest of you have some laundry to do. Maybe you can get a jump on your taxes.
New Orleans @ Atlanta - Another crap Monday night game. I really feel bad for Al Michaels. He has to spend 4 hours in the booth with Madden (whom I suspect has a tremendous case of BO), watching garbage like this. Atlanta will kill the pitiful Saints. Why would anyone want to return to the Crescent Toilet?
Oakland @ Jets - Ace said it best earlier this week - the J-E-T-S sure do S-U-C-K. He thinks they need Vince Young. I think they need an exorcist and/or a plane crash (wow, that was dark - sorry. Not really in the spirit of the season, is it?).
I'm not going to top that last line, so we'll end here. Go (your team here)!
Friday, December 09, 2005
World's most predictable joke
A giggle from cousin Ross:
A driver is stuck in a traffic jam on the highway. Nothing is moving. Suddenly a man knocks on the window.
The driver rolls down his window and asks, "What happened?"
"Terrorists have kidnapped Hillary Clinton, Ted Kennedy, Jesse Jackson, and Al Sharpton. They are asking for a $10 million ransom. Otherwise they are going to douse them with gasoline and set them on fire. We are going from car to car, taking up a collection."
The driver asks, "How much is everyone giving, on average?"
"About a gallon."
A driver is stuck in a traffic jam on the highway. Nothing is moving. Suddenly a man knocks on the window.
The driver rolls down his window and asks, "What happened?"
"Terrorists have kidnapped Hillary Clinton, Ted Kennedy, Jesse Jackson, and Al Sharpton. They are asking for a $10 million ransom. Otherwise they are going to douse them with gasoline and set them on fire. We are going from car to car, taking up a collection."
The driver asks, "How much is everyone giving, on average?"
"About a gallon."
Thursday, December 08, 2005
Clemens to the Rangers?
Since the Astros have cut the Rocket loose, there's much talk of Clemens landing in Arlington. I'm not so sure this is a good thing.
Oh, the guy's still got it. No doubt.
But, he's 43 years old. He's going to cost $18 million plus. He had leg and back problems last year. He's going to go to the World Baseball Classic in March. And he's not going to decide if he's going to pitch in the regular season until January at the earliest.
What I really fear is that Big Dumb Tom is going to start to crush on Roger the way he did on Gay-Rod a few years ago, and it's going to cause the Rangers to pass on other free agents and/or trades. That would be a disaster.
If the Rangers stay (hell, get) aggressive in the player-acquisition game and can get Clemens as an added piece before or during spring training, that's great. It certainly can't hurt.
But if they put other things on hold in their pursuit of Clemens, I am going to step up the "I Hate Tom Hicks" campaign in a big way.
I'm sure he's quaking in his shoes at the very thought.
Oh, and by the way - Kenny Rogers is officially an ex-Ranger again. Hallelujah. The Tigers are expecting him to be a leader for their young club. Right. Good luck and good night, Kenny, you miserable bastard.
Oh, the guy's still got it. No doubt.
But, he's 43 years old. He's going to cost $18 million plus. He had leg and back problems last year. He's going to go to the World Baseball Classic in March. And he's not going to decide if he's going to pitch in the regular season until January at the earliest.
What I really fear is that Big Dumb Tom is going to start to crush on Roger the way he did on Gay-Rod a few years ago, and it's going to cause the Rangers to pass on other free agents and/or trades. That would be a disaster.
If the Rangers stay (hell, get) aggressive in the player-acquisition game and can get Clemens as an added piece before or during spring training, that's great. It certainly can't hurt.
But if they put other things on hold in their pursuit of Clemens, I am going to step up the "I Hate Tom Hicks" campaign in a big way.
I'm sure he's quaking in his shoes at the very thought.
Oh, and by the way - Kenny Rogers is officially an ex-Ranger again. Hallelujah. The Tigers are expecting him to be a leader for their young club. Right. Good luck and good night, Kenny, you miserable bastard.
Soriano is gone
The Rangers made the first significant deal of the Jon Daniels era on Wed night, trading 2B slugger Alfonso Soriano to the Washington Nationals for CF Brad Wilkerson, OF Terrmel Sledge, and starting pitching prospect Armando Galarraga.
Wilkerson hit leadoff for the Nats last year, and didn't exactly flourish in the role. However, he routinely draws 80+ walks per year and is far more discerning at the plate than Soriano. Sledge is a bench player at best, has had injury problem recently, and has tested positive for steroids in the past. Galarraga didn't exactly light things up in A ball last year. He's probably going to join the DVD boys in Frisco to start the year, and we'll see where it goes from there.
As for Soriano, he never met a pitch he didn't like, and lost the leadoff spot as a result. He does have power for an infielder and produced offense that will have to be replaced. His fielding had improved somewhat from his Yankee days, but a sharp grounder to second was always a bit more dramatic than it should have been.
The Rangers have a 2B prospect (Ian Kinsler) who may move into the big-league lineup this year. An addition to the wealth in the outfield makes another trade a significant possibility. Kevin Mench, Laynce Nix, or Wilkerson could be moved to (hopefully) bring some pitching in return.
Soriano was going to get a ton of dough in arbitration this year, so the move should save some dough, which Big Dumb Tom had better spend rather than pocket. Wilkerson is a Boras client, so we should enjoy his presence this year and next, then wave bye-bye to him after his contract is up.
All in all, this looks like a good move, as long as it isn't the last one we see this off-season. We may (MAY) have found a leadoff hitter, but the rest of the team's needs are yet to be addressed.
Stay tuned.
Wilkerson hit leadoff for the Nats last year, and didn't exactly flourish in the role. However, he routinely draws 80+ walks per year and is far more discerning at the plate than Soriano. Sledge is a bench player at best, has had injury problem recently, and has tested positive for steroids in the past. Galarraga didn't exactly light things up in A ball last year. He's probably going to join the DVD boys in Frisco to start the year, and we'll see where it goes from there.
As for Soriano, he never met a pitch he didn't like, and lost the leadoff spot as a result. He does have power for an infielder and produced offense that will have to be replaced. His fielding had improved somewhat from his Yankee days, but a sharp grounder to second was always a bit more dramatic than it should have been.
The Rangers have a 2B prospect (Ian Kinsler) who may move into the big-league lineup this year. An addition to the wealth in the outfield makes another trade a significant possibility. Kevin Mench, Laynce Nix, or Wilkerson could be moved to (hopefully) bring some pitching in return.
Soriano was going to get a ton of dough in arbitration this year, so the move should save some dough, which Big Dumb Tom had better spend rather than pocket. Wilkerson is a Boras client, so we should enjoy his presence this year and next, then wave bye-bye to him after his contract is up.
All in all, this looks like a good move, as long as it isn't the last one we see this off-season. We may (MAY) have found a leadoff hitter, but the rest of the team's needs are yet to be addressed.
Stay tuned.
Air Marshal shoots passenger, expected reactions pour in
I suppose we shouldn't be surprised, but the fatal shooting by Federal Air Marshals of a man who claimed to have a bomb on board an American Airlines jet in Miami yesterday has many hand-wringers questioning the entire Air Marshal program.
All the facts are not in, and I completely support a full investigation. However, we do know a bit about this story right now. Rigoberto Alpizar ran through the plane before it pushed back from the gate. He stated that he had a bomb in his backpack. He ignored orders from two Marshals to put the backpack down and lie on the ground and, instead, reached into the backpack. And they did shoot and kill him.
I can't even imagine the stress the Air Marshals were under during the incident. But, all indications right now are that they followed their training to the letter.
We don't know how many Air Marshals are out there, and we don't know how many flights they're on (this secrecy is part of the deterrent and I have absolutely zero problems with it). It is, however, safe to say that there are many Marshals flying on many flights every day, and that this has been the case every day since early 2002 at least. In that time, there have been no (that is, NOT ONE) incident of deadly force being exercised by the Marshals up until yesterday. This makes it clear to me that Air Marshals are well trained, professional, calm, and restrained. They are clearly not a bunch of psychos running around, drawing down on every disgruntled flyer who complains about his/her seat assignment.
The other fact that cannot be disputed is that, since Sept 11, 2001, there has not been a successful incident of terrorism on any domestic flight.
I don't think that AQ and their little buddies have given up. I do think that the combination of deterrents, one of which is the Air Marshal program, is working.
Let's investigate this tragic incident, by all means. We need to know what happened here, and we need to learn whatever lessons are to be found. However, let's not call for the end or the emasculation of a program that is clearly working as intended.
All the facts are not in, and I completely support a full investigation. However, we do know a bit about this story right now. Rigoberto Alpizar ran through the plane before it pushed back from the gate. He stated that he had a bomb in his backpack. He ignored orders from two Marshals to put the backpack down and lie on the ground and, instead, reached into the backpack. And they did shoot and kill him.
I can't even imagine the stress the Air Marshals were under during the incident. But, all indications right now are that they followed their training to the letter.
We don't know how many Air Marshals are out there, and we don't know how many flights they're on (this secrecy is part of the deterrent and I have absolutely zero problems with it). It is, however, safe to say that there are many Marshals flying on many flights every day, and that this has been the case every day since early 2002 at least. In that time, there have been no (that is, NOT ONE) incident of deadly force being exercised by the Marshals up until yesterday. This makes it clear to me that Air Marshals are well trained, professional, calm, and restrained. They are clearly not a bunch of psychos running around, drawing down on every disgruntled flyer who complains about his/her seat assignment.
The other fact that cannot be disputed is that, since Sept 11, 2001, there has not been a successful incident of terrorism on any domestic flight.
I don't think that AQ and their little buddies have given up. I do think that the combination of deterrents, one of which is the Air Marshal program, is working.
Let's investigate this tragic incident, by all means. We need to know what happened here, and we need to learn whatever lessons are to be found. However, let's not call for the end or the emasculation of a program that is clearly working as intended.
More enlightened humanitarianism from Iranian president
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the reality-impaired gent who called for Israel to be "wiped from the map" recently, is up to his wacky antics again. This time, he's questioning the facts behind the Holocaust and recommending that Israel be moved to Europe.
This is the elected leader of major country, folks. Iran is a large, populous, and extremely wealthy nation. The Iranians have acknowledged that they have a large program underway to develop nuclear power, and there's much to suggest that they are also pursuing nuclear weapons. There's little doubt that they are behind at least some of the chaos currently present in Iraq, and there's every reason to believe that their involvement in terrorism doesn't end there.
Where's the line for these fruitcakes? How much are we willing to let them get away with? I'm not advocating military action based on anything that their nut-job president says, but there are actions and, clearly, a mindset there that are cause for tremendous concern.
This isn't going to go away on its own, and I fear that its going to get a lot worse.
This is the elected leader of major country, folks. Iran is a large, populous, and extremely wealthy nation. The Iranians have acknowledged that they have a large program underway to develop nuclear power, and there's much to suggest that they are also pursuing nuclear weapons. There's little doubt that they are behind at least some of the chaos currently present in Iraq, and there's every reason to believe that their involvement in terrorism doesn't end there.
Where's the line for these fruitcakes? How much are we willing to let them get away with? I'm not advocating military action based on anything that their nut-job president says, but there are actions and, clearly, a mindset there that are cause for tremendous concern.
This isn't going to go away on its own, and I fear that its going to get a lot worse.
Wednesday, December 07, 2005
Rangers trading Soriano?
Sturm has his usual outstanding roundup of coverage, so I won't bother with additional links.
At least they're talking about pitchers in every scenario.
At least they're talking about pitchers in every scenario.
Man killed by Air Marshal, conspiracy nuts go into overdrive
No doubt you've seen this story elsewhere. I mention it only because a guy I'm working with out here theorizes that it was faked just to let AQ and other potential baddies that US justice never sleeps, esp during the Holiday Season.
He went on to mention that he doesn't believe that man walked on the moon because his Windows XP laptop crashes three times a day.
Even still, it's an interesting point.
He went on to mention that he doesn't believe that man walked on the moon because his Windows XP laptop crashes three times a day.
Even still, it's an interesting point.
Attention-grabbing bike helmets
These are much more fun than the standard. I'll probably pick up a Lady Bug helmet for Aly, the Screaming Frog for Drew, and the Human Brain one for myself.
I've got my Thurs night planned
I'll be at the City Center (right around the corner from my palatial hotel), checking out the Gingerbread House display.
Or, maybe I'll watch ER instead.
Or, maybe I'll watch ER instead.
Bobby Valentine and Homer Simpson – same voice coach?
Bobby V was on with Rhyner and Williams yesterday. In case you haven’t kept up with his adventures in the Land of the Rising Sun, he’s had a tremendous amount of success with the Chiba Lotte Marines and won the Japanese League Championship this year. He sounds great and seems to be doing very well. Good for him, I say.
I’ve always been a Bobby V fan, and really wished it had worked out better when he managed the Rangers. It sounds like he had an opportunity to return to the US this year, but loyalty to his Japanese team prevented it. It seems like a safe bet that he’ll be back in the bigs sometime in the not-too-distant future.
I couldn’t help but notice how much Bobby sounds like Homer Simpson. It’s uncanny. I almost called Big Dumb Danny to see if I could get him to ask Bobby to do a “D’oh!” for the folks back home.
I never noticed this before, but I’m going to keep a lookout for Bobby V’s speaking engagements now.
I’ve always been a Bobby V fan, and really wished it had worked out better when he managed the Rangers. It sounds like he had an opportunity to return to the US this year, but loyalty to his Japanese team prevented it. It seems like a safe bet that he’ll be back in the bigs sometime in the not-too-distant future.
I couldn’t help but notice how much Bobby sounds like Homer Simpson. It’s uncanny. I almost called Big Dumb Danny to see if I could get him to ask Bobby to do a “D’oh!” for the folks back home.
I never noticed this before, but I’m going to keep a lookout for Bobby V’s speaking engagements now.
More troubling news from your Texas Rangers
There’s been news on several fronts, and all of it is bad.
First: The Rangers have lost out on just about every decent free-agent pitcher available this off-season. Matt Morris remains a possibility, but Burnett is gone (to Toronto and for too much money) and everyone else has spurned the Rangers’ offer. The Rangers are forced to money-whip even bad pitchers, thanks to (mostly) the Ballpark, along with Buck for a manager, Hicks for a clueless owner, and a history of never winning anything. It’s well past old news, and I’m well past sick of it.
Second, and FAR more troubling: Several sources have reported that John Hart was involved in the Blalock & Danks for Beckett & Lowell trade negotiations. Those same sources have reported that Hart advised Jon Daniels to hold out on the Marlins to see if they could keep Danks. Apparently, the deal could have been done at the GM meeting in October, but Daniels and the Rangers stalled and tried to keep their man-crush pitching prospect. While the Rangers farted around, the Marlins called Boston and the rest is history.
Big Tom Hicks, who reminds me of Karl from Sling Blade more each day, pretty much confirmed all this while chatting w/ Stormin’ Norman on The Ticket on Tuesday.
Argue all you want about holding out for a better deal. I think it’s foolish, esp in a case like this, where my daughter’s goldfish would have pulled the trigger, but OK. I’ll give Daniels et al a pass on that.
What in the effing Hell is John Hart doing giving input on a trade? I’m pretty sure he’s no longer the GM of this club. He was a FAILURE when he was here, and, if I understood the press conferences back in the late summer, he’s out of that job now. So why on Earth does he get a vote?
I know it’s only the beginning of December, but this is cause for pessimism. Dammit.
What is going on out in Arlington?
First: The Rangers have lost out on just about every decent free-agent pitcher available this off-season. Matt Morris remains a possibility, but Burnett is gone (to Toronto and for too much money) and everyone else has spurned the Rangers’ offer. The Rangers are forced to money-whip even bad pitchers, thanks to (mostly) the Ballpark, along with Buck for a manager, Hicks for a clueless owner, and a history of never winning anything. It’s well past old news, and I’m well past sick of it.
Second, and FAR more troubling: Several sources have reported that John Hart was involved in the Blalock & Danks for Beckett & Lowell trade negotiations. Those same sources have reported that Hart advised Jon Daniels to hold out on the Marlins to see if they could keep Danks. Apparently, the deal could have been done at the GM meeting in October, but Daniels and the Rangers stalled and tried to keep their man-crush pitching prospect. While the Rangers farted around, the Marlins called Boston and the rest is history.
Big Tom Hicks, who reminds me of Karl from Sling Blade more each day, pretty much confirmed all this while chatting w/ Stormin’ Norman on The Ticket on Tuesday.
Argue all you want about holding out for a better deal. I think it’s foolish, esp in a case like this, where my daughter’s goldfish would have pulled the trigger, but OK. I’ll give Daniels et al a pass on that.
What in the effing Hell is John Hart doing giving input on a trade? I’m pretty sure he’s no longer the GM of this club. He was a FAILURE when he was here, and, if I understood the press conferences back in the late summer, he’s out of that job now. So why on Earth does he get a vote?
I know it’s only the beginning of December, but this is cause for pessimism. Dammit.
What is going on out in Arlington?
Blogging while in transit
This week it’s blogging while sitting in seat 5E on the way back to Seattle. Thank goodness for AAdvantage Platinum. This is a 4+ hour flight, and you’d better believe First Class makes a difference.
I escaped from Dallas before Winter Blast 2005 hit. There might be some snow in Dallas before the day is over, but I sorta doubt it.
I will endeavor to be more diligent about blogging this week. Now, on with the festivities!
I escaped from Dallas before Winter Blast 2005 hit. There might be some snow in Dallas before the day is over, but I sorta doubt it.
I will endeavor to be more diligent about blogging this week. Now, on with the festivities!
Is this funny or scary?
From cousin Ross: This would be a giggle, except I think it's within the realm of possiblity.
Monday, December 05, 2005
And don't forget Hurricane Epsilon
The latest and, God willing, last hurricane of the 2005 Atlantic season continues to befuddle scientists. Epsilon is seemingly shrugging off most known hurricane behaviors as well as the laws of physics.
With as crazy as the season has been, this certainly seems like a good way to end it.
With as crazy as the season has been, this certainly seems like a good way to end it.
Ebola reservoir found
In news that got surprisingly little play, scientist believe they've identified the host organism for the deadly Ebola virus. Fruit bats appear to be able to carry the virus without being made sick by it.
Fruit bats are a staple of the jungle diet, so it would make sense.
Fruit bats are a staple of the jungle diet, so it would make sense.
Panic in North Texas!!
North Texas is under a Winter Storm Watch for Tues night and Wed, thus sparking a possible-snow-panic among the citizenry.
This cracks me up.
Going near a grocery store tomorrow evening will be akin to driving the lane against the 2004 Pistons. Haus-fraus and business casual dads will be fighting back nervous terror as they storm the aisles containing staples. They'll be laying in huge stocks of bread, milk, and toilet paper as they prepare to be stranded in their homes for hours (minutes?) by a quarter inch of snow.
People from the Snow Belt of northern Arkansas (a veritable winter-wonderland in comparison) will be ruefully shaking their heads in wonder.
The panic-inducing newscasts should start tonight. By noon tomorrow, they'll probably switch to the fancy "Winter Blast 2005" graphics and, if the temp drops below 35 degrees, they'll upshift into wall-to-wall coverage.
We here at CIT will do our best to remain calm and will be reporting on the silliness as it occurs. Stay tuned.
This cracks me up.
Going near a grocery store tomorrow evening will be akin to driving the lane against the 2004 Pistons. Haus-fraus and business casual dads will be fighting back nervous terror as they storm the aisles containing staples. They'll be laying in huge stocks of bread, milk, and toilet paper as they prepare to be stranded in their homes for hours (minutes?) by a quarter inch of snow.
People from the Snow Belt of northern Arkansas (a veritable winter-wonderland in comparison) will be ruefully shaking their heads in wonder.
The panic-inducing newscasts should start tonight. By noon tomorrow, they'll probably switch to the fancy "Winter Blast 2005" graphics and, if the temp drops below 35 degrees, they'll upshift into wall-to-wall coverage.
We here at CIT will do our best to remain calm and will be reporting on the silliness as it occurs. Stay tuned.
Sports recap
Obviously no football preview this past weekend. The next best thing is a recap (isn't it?).
Our fondest hopes have been realized: Texas and USC have reached the Rose Bowl undefeated. This is no validation of the BCS and it's silly system - a three-year-old Laoation child could have picked #1 and #2 this year. Both teams demolished their final opponents, answering any faint, lingering questions about their legitimacy. Texas fired the first shot in the hopefully-dull war of words, with Rod Wright saying they intend to "dominate" USC.
There will be lots written and said about this game in the month (?!?) we've got to prepare. ALl I'm going to say right now is this: Man, what a game this is going to be. It's hard to pick against USC. Leinart, Bush, White, and the rest - how many of these guys are going to be stars in the NFL? But Texas has it's own stars. Vince is from another planet, running backs all over the place, and SPEED everywhere. I can't wait!!
As for the pros:
The Cowboys were exposed yesterday, beaten by a very average Giants team. The Cowboys' offensive line play was nothing short of horrible. Is Bledsoe in the feared "second half melt-down" we've been warned about? Julius Jones is still looking for his first 100 yard game of the year. Parcells wants to pound away with the running game and physically beat the opposition up front. It sure looks to me like he doesn't have the personnel to do that, and I see no signs of Plan B. The playoffs are not a gimme. We'll see what the Pear-Shaped Genius comes up with for KC.
The Colts keep rolling. What does Dungy do the last few games of the season? He's already said that 16-0 is not the goal, and he's right. However, this team is the most likely to pull it off in recent memory.
And finally, since Seattle is home away from home for a few weeks, we have to turn attention to the Seabags. I'm watching them DESTROY Philadelphia right now, and it occurs to me that it's time to give them their due. Shaun Alexander is all that this year. The rest of the offense is good enough. And their defense is stout. Plus, you have to ask who in the NFC is any better? Um, yeah. Pretty much case closed on that.
More about the Rose Bowl and Cowboys-KC later in the week.
Our fondest hopes have been realized: Texas and USC have reached the Rose Bowl undefeated. This is no validation of the BCS and it's silly system - a three-year-old Laoation child could have picked #1 and #2 this year. Both teams demolished their final opponents, answering any faint, lingering questions about their legitimacy. Texas fired the first shot in the hopefully-dull war of words, with Rod Wright saying they intend to "dominate" USC.
There will be lots written and said about this game in the month (?!?) we've got to prepare. ALl I'm going to say right now is this: Man, what a game this is going to be. It's hard to pick against USC. Leinart, Bush, White, and the rest - how many of these guys are going to be stars in the NFL? But Texas has it's own stars. Vince is from another planet, running backs all over the place, and SPEED everywhere. I can't wait!!
As for the pros:
The Cowboys were exposed yesterday, beaten by a very average Giants team. The Cowboys' offensive line play was nothing short of horrible. Is Bledsoe in the feared "second half melt-down" we've been warned about? Julius Jones is still looking for his first 100 yard game of the year. Parcells wants to pound away with the running game and physically beat the opposition up front. It sure looks to me like he doesn't have the personnel to do that, and I see no signs of Plan B. The playoffs are not a gimme. We'll see what the Pear-Shaped Genius comes up with for KC.
The Colts keep rolling. What does Dungy do the last few games of the season? He's already said that 16-0 is not the goal, and he's right. However, this team is the most likely to pull it off in recent memory.
And finally, since Seattle is home away from home for a few weeks, we have to turn attention to the Seabags. I'm watching them DESTROY Philadelphia right now, and it occurs to me that it's time to give them their due. Shaun Alexander is all that this year. The rest of the offense is good enough. And their defense is stout. Plus, you have to ask who in the NFC is any better? Um, yeah. Pretty much case closed on that.
More about the Rose Bowl and Cowboys-KC later in the week.
I've been a very bad blogger
Sorry, all. While in Seattle last week, I had to deal with PC problems. A scrambled registry and fricasse of TCP/IP stack had me back in the Stone Age for much of the week.
I am back now and will attempt to make up for lost time, if not in quantity, then hopefully in quality.
I am back now and will attempt to make up for lost time, if not in quantity, then hopefully in quality.
Monday, November 28, 2005
This week's winner of the "Tom Ladka Burnt Fingers Award"
This takes me back to college days. And it will make someone very special to me giggle hysterically.
Fox News funnies
Love or hate Fox News Channel, you have to admit they have a point of view. This page takes a look at how Fox might have covered major events in history.
The return of the CueCat
Remember the completely failed CueCat? This was a white plastic bar-code scanner shaped like a cat that was backed by some big media names (Wired, Belo, etc) back in the euphoric late 90s. You used the CueCat to read bar-codes that were printed in magazine ads, thus directing you to more info about the product on the Web. It also hooked your PC to your TV so that Channel 8 (or other media outlet) could point your browser at a selected Web page.
The CueCat was misguided on so many levels that it turned into a metaphor for the dot-com bust.
Well, don't look now, but the idea behind the CueCat is back. Coca-Cola in Germany is trying a similar technology, this time using a logo photographed by the consumer's camera phone.
Maybe the Germans know something we don't, but I doubt it.
The CueCat was misguided on so many levels that it turned into a metaphor for the dot-com bust.
Well, don't look now, but the idea behind the CueCat is back. Coca-Cola in Germany is trying a similar technology, this time using a logo photographed by the consumer's camera phone.
Maybe the Germans know something we don't, but I doubt it.
Very disturbing Jon Daniels quote
Rangers' boy-wonder GM Jon Daniels was the subject of a nice article in Newsday last week. However, buried down in the love-fest is a quote that nearly knocked me out of my chair:
Excuse me? "...mid-to-lower-third-tier-payroll team..."??? I don't know exactly where D/FW ranks in the nation's media markets, but I would venture to guess that it's top 10 and maybe top 5. There are 30 teams in MLB.
What is wrong with this picture?
Nevertheless, Daniels stressed at the GMs' meetings, "We're not the
Yankees. We're not the Mets. We're not the Red Sox. We are a
mid-to-lower-third-tier-payroll team. For us to accomplish our goals, we're
going to need to continually be developing our own players.
Excuse me? "...mid-to-lower-third-tier-payroll team..."??? I don't know exactly where D/FW ranks in the nation's media markets, but I would venture to guess that it's top 10 and maybe top 5. There are 30 teams in MLB.
What is wrong with this picture?
Aung San Suu Kyi house arrest extended
The Burmese military junta has extended the latest house arrest of Nobel Peace Prize winner and opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi again.
The story has been confirmed by the National League for Democracy, Aung San Suu Kyi's political party, so it's gospel.
The Burmese generals are clearly making enough money in the drug trade to allow them to laugh at the world community's calls for reform and freedom. It's hard to see how this situation is going to change any time soon.
The story has been confirmed by the National League for Democracy, Aung San Suu Kyi's political party, so it's gospel.
The Burmese generals are clearly making enough money in the drug trade to allow them to laugh at the world community's calls for reform and freedom. It's hard to see how this situation is going to change any time soon.
Time-lapse of traffic on the Panama Canal
This sounds like watching paint dry, I know, but it's actually fascinating. The 11-minute video here shows a week's worth of traffic through the Panama Canal's Miraflores Locks.
I can't seem to stop watching it.
I can't seem to stop watching it.
Landmine arrows
A bit of genius from Raytheon. The fine folks at the defense contractor have applied for a patent for a device that can be used to quickly and safely clear a minefield.
The invention is an artillery shell that encloses a bunch of steel "arrows". The shell is fired at a minefield. Just before the it hits, the shell is exploded in air, freeing hundreds of small steel arrows, which are accelerated into the ground by the shell burst. The arrows hit mines buried in the field, detonating them.
GPS-enabled artillery can ensure complete coverage of a field.
This is potentially a huge boon to former battlefields like Cambodia, parts of Africa, and other global hotspots.
The invention is an artillery shell that encloses a bunch of steel "arrows". The shell is fired at a minefield. Just before the it hits, the shell is exploded in air, freeing hundreds of small steel arrows, which are accelerated into the ground by the shell burst. The arrows hit mines buried in the field, detonating them.
GPS-enabled artillery can ensure complete coverage of a field.
This is potentially a huge boon to former battlefields like Cambodia, parts of Africa, and other global hotspots.
The Golden Bruce Lee of Bosnian Peace
That's the most confusing headline I've ever seen, but it does accurately describe this bit of Balkan nuttiness:
The Bosnian town of Mostar has unveiled a golden statue of completely dead martial arts star Bruce Lee as a symbol of peace and reconciliation among local Bosians, Serbs, and Croats.
The Bosnian town of Mostar has unveiled a golden statue of completely dead martial arts star Bruce Lee as a symbol of peace and reconciliation among local Bosians, Serbs, and Croats.
"We will always be Muslims, Serbs or Croats," said Veselin Gatalo of the youth group Urban Movement Mostar. "But one thing we all have in common is Bruce Lee."
Finally made it
I love business travel.
I've finally made it to my hotel in downtown Seattle. It's about 0200 local, and I don't even want to think about what time my addled brain thinks it is.
Time to get my head down. Reveille is at 0700. More tomorrow, or, uh, later today. Yech.
I've finally made it to my hotel in downtown Seattle. It's about 0200 local, and I don't even want to think about what time my addled brain thinks it is.
Time to get my head down. Reveille is at 0700. More tomorrow, or, uh, later today. Yech.
My wife, the creative genius
Robynne, my ultra-hot wife (picture here, along with the kids) of 14 years, is as big a success in her career as I’ve ever encountered.
She is an Occupational Therapist, specializing in infants with feeding problems. She has a great ability to establish rapport with parents, put infants at ease, and get even the most problematic babies to eat. Her ability to diagnose is nothing short of uncanny. She’s a great advocate for her patients and their families and has an absolute fan club among the pediatricians and pediatric specialists she deals with daily.
In addition to her clinical abilities, she’s also an inventor of some local reknown. With any luck, that semi-fame will spread to a national level in the not too distant future.
The invention of which I speak is an infant reflux wedge.
Your first question is, no doubt, “What the heck is an infant reflux wedge?” Allow me to explain, hopefully in brief and clear fashion.
Many adults suffer from a disorder called gastro-esophogeal reflux (GER), which those of us who are not in the medical field call “chronic heartburn”. This is a disorder in which acid from the stomach is involuntarily brought up into the esophagus and the back of the throat. We’ve all had this to some degree after a spicy Thai or Mexican meal, or a few shots of tequila. People who suffer from it chronicly know that it’s zero fun and can cause long-term damage to the upper GI. It’s now treated in adults with medications like Prilosec, Prevacid, and Nexium.
What’s less know is that infants suffer from GER as well. In fact, more infants suffer from GER than adults. GER in infants can be recognized by frequent spitting up, coughing, runny nose, sleeping problems, decreased appetite, and general irritability. Ever hear of an infant suffering from “colic”? Nine times out of ten, “colic” is really mis-diagnosed GER.
Infants with GER sleep badly, as lying horizontally causes more acid to come up into the esophagus. One of the treatments for this has been to elevate the baby on a foam rubber wedge at about 40 degrees of inclination. The baby is secured to the wedge on his/her stomach using a cloth sling.
The problem with the traditional wedge is that it’s a flat surface that pushes the baby’s shoulders back unnaturally. This can cause semi-permanent misformed postioning of the shoulders. This happened to our son – he was on the wedge for several months and now, nearly 5 years later, his shoulders are still pushed back.
My genius wife looked at our son, and looked at the wedge, and realized that there was a better way. She cut down the sides of the wedge to make a small hump in the middle. Now, when the baby is secured stomach down on the wedge, the baby’s shoulders fall forward slightly, into a much more natural position.
This sounds like a little thing, but it’s one of those things that, when viewed by pediatricians and pediatric specialists, elicits a response of, “Why didn’t I think of that?”
Robynne has partnered with a local doctor to manufacture and sell the new, improved reflux wedge to local hospitals. It’s done reasonably well with little marketing or sales support, and we’re currently talking to a few medical product distributers about including the wedge in a national catalog with a sales and marketing staff to support it.
The wedge is sold under the trademark “RES-Q Infant Wedge” and will, hopefully, be available nationally sometime in 2006. In the interim, if you have any questions about the wedge, please send me an email at phelkin@gmail.com and I’ll pass it on to Robynne.
She is an Occupational Therapist, specializing in infants with feeding problems. She has a great ability to establish rapport with parents, put infants at ease, and get even the most problematic babies to eat. Her ability to diagnose is nothing short of uncanny. She’s a great advocate for her patients and their families and has an absolute fan club among the pediatricians and pediatric specialists she deals with daily.
In addition to her clinical abilities, she’s also an inventor of some local reknown. With any luck, that semi-fame will spread to a national level in the not too distant future.
The invention of which I speak is an infant reflux wedge.
Your first question is, no doubt, “What the heck is an infant reflux wedge?” Allow me to explain, hopefully in brief and clear fashion.
Many adults suffer from a disorder called gastro-esophogeal reflux (GER), which those of us who are not in the medical field call “chronic heartburn”. This is a disorder in which acid from the stomach is involuntarily brought up into the esophagus and the back of the throat. We’ve all had this to some degree after a spicy Thai or Mexican meal, or a few shots of tequila. People who suffer from it chronicly know that it’s zero fun and can cause long-term damage to the upper GI. It’s now treated in adults with medications like Prilosec, Prevacid, and Nexium.
What’s less know is that infants suffer from GER as well. In fact, more infants suffer from GER than adults. GER in infants can be recognized by frequent spitting up, coughing, runny nose, sleeping problems, decreased appetite, and general irritability. Ever hear of an infant suffering from “colic”? Nine times out of ten, “colic” is really mis-diagnosed GER.
Infants with GER sleep badly, as lying horizontally causes more acid to come up into the esophagus. One of the treatments for this has been to elevate the baby on a foam rubber wedge at about 40 degrees of inclination. The baby is secured to the wedge on his/her stomach using a cloth sling.
The problem with the traditional wedge is that it’s a flat surface that pushes the baby’s shoulders back unnaturally. This can cause semi-permanent misformed postioning of the shoulders. This happened to our son – he was on the wedge for several months and now, nearly 5 years later, his shoulders are still pushed back.
My genius wife looked at our son, and looked at the wedge, and realized that there was a better way. She cut down the sides of the wedge to make a small hump in the middle. Now, when the baby is secured stomach down on the wedge, the baby’s shoulders fall forward slightly, into a much more natural position.
This sounds like a little thing, but it’s one of those things that, when viewed by pediatricians and pediatric specialists, elicits a response of, “Why didn’t I think of that?”
Robynne has partnered with a local doctor to manufacture and sell the new, improved reflux wedge to local hospitals. It’s done reasonably well with little marketing or sales support, and we’re currently talking to a few medical product distributers about including the wedge in a national catalog with a sales and marketing staff to support it.
The wedge is sold under the trademark “RES-Q Infant Wedge” and will, hopefully, be available nationally sometime in 2006. In the interim, if you have any questions about the wedge, please send me an email at phelkin@gmail.com and I’ll pass it on to Robynne.
Airport blogging
I’m starting a new project in the Emerald City of Seattle this week. I’ll be commuting via American Airlines, trying to retain my Platinum status before the year is over.
Right now, I’m sitting at gate A20 at DFW, watching the post-Thanksgiving rush and wondering when my flight is actually going to leave. It was supposed to go at 8:25 p.m. We’re working on 9:10 right now. Maybe we’ll make it. I’m an optimist.
I’ve been home for some time lately – since before I started this blog, in fact. Two solid months at home is a luxury I haven’t had in some time; traveling is more the rule than the exception. The time at home has put some perspective on this constant business travel thing, though. It’s been fantastic to hang out with the kids on a regular basis. I’ve come to realize that I have two really great kids.
My daughter, Aly, is seven, almost eight. She’s the kindest kid I’ve ever seen. She’s so careful to make sure that the kids (and adults) around her are part of things and that no one is excluded. It’s wonderful to see that.
Drew, my son, is five, and he’s so much fun to be around. He’s been through a lot in his life to-date – lots of health problems caused by a metabolic disorder that will impact him for his whole life (a subject for another, longer post one of these days) – but you’d never know it. He has his ups and downs like any kid, but, most of the time, he’s a happy, funny kid who loves to make people laugh, loves music, loves to play, and loves to be around people.
I haven’t even got on the plane yet, and I miss them both fiercely.
Robynne, my wife of almost 14 years, can be a handful, like any intelligent and independent woman can be. However, on the whole, I think we have a healthier relationship than most of the married couples I’ve encountered. Putting up with me is no day at the beach, but she does that and a lot more. It took me a long time to fully appreciate how great we are together. I try to never take for granted how fortunate I am to have her for my wife.
It’s only a week, and there are so many people getting shipped off to Iraq and Afghanistan for much much longer, so I’m not feeling sorry for myself. It’s just a little more difficult than it has been in the past, since I’ve been with them so much recently.
Just got the double whammy of another delay (now 9:20) and a gate change, so I’d better get going. The next post will be more upbeat, I promise.
Right now, I’m sitting at gate A20 at DFW, watching the post-Thanksgiving rush and wondering when my flight is actually going to leave. It was supposed to go at 8:25 p.m. We’re working on 9:10 right now. Maybe we’ll make it. I’m an optimist.
I’ve been home for some time lately – since before I started this blog, in fact. Two solid months at home is a luxury I haven’t had in some time; traveling is more the rule than the exception. The time at home has put some perspective on this constant business travel thing, though. It’s been fantastic to hang out with the kids on a regular basis. I’ve come to realize that I have two really great kids.
My daughter, Aly, is seven, almost eight. She’s the kindest kid I’ve ever seen. She’s so careful to make sure that the kids (and adults) around her are part of things and that no one is excluded. It’s wonderful to see that.
Drew, my son, is five, and he’s so much fun to be around. He’s been through a lot in his life to-date – lots of health problems caused by a metabolic disorder that will impact him for his whole life (a subject for another, longer post one of these days) – but you’d never know it. He has his ups and downs like any kid, but, most of the time, he’s a happy, funny kid who loves to make people laugh, loves music, loves to play, and loves to be around people.
I haven’t even got on the plane yet, and I miss them both fiercely.
Robynne, my wife of almost 14 years, can be a handful, like any intelligent and independent woman can be. However, on the whole, I think we have a healthier relationship than most of the married couples I’ve encountered. Putting up with me is no day at the beach, but she does that and a lot more. It took me a long time to fully appreciate how great we are together. I try to never take for granted how fortunate I am to have her for my wife.
It’s only a week, and there are so many people getting shipped off to Iraq and Afghanistan for much much longer, so I’m not feeling sorry for myself. It’s just a little more difficult than it has been in the past, since I’ve been with them so much recently.
Just got the double whammy of another delay (now 9:20) and a gate change, so I’d better get going. The next post will be more upbeat, I promise.
Saturday, November 26, 2005
Worst job ever
This is a giggle: The other side of something we've all seen and never wondered about.
Friday, November 25, 2005
Mr. Miyagi is dead
Pat Morita (Mr. Miyagi of the Karate Kid franchise, and innumberable appearances as "Generic Japanese Soldier" in dozens of WWII movies) died yesterday at 73.
He will be missed.
One final time, all together now, "Wax on, wax off."
He will be missed.
One final time, all together now, "Wax on, wax off."
Big football weekend
After going 2 for 2 yesterday, let's take a look at the rest of the big weekend of college and pro football.
Colleges
Texas @ A&M - As long as the 'Horns aren't looking ahead to the Rose Bowl, this should be no problem. A&M will be all fired up, but it's not going to do them any good. The Longhorns are 27.5 point favorites, which is an awful lot. I might take some of that, but Texas will win the game handily.
Oklahoma St @ Oklahoma - The Sooners should be good and pissed (and rightly so) over the giant shaft they got in Lubbock last week. OK St is always competitive in this game, but OU should win and cover the 19.5.
Florida St @ Florida - What is up w/ Florida St? They are going backwards just when it really counts. Urban and Co may very well win this one.
Georgia @ Georgia Tech - My vote for Redneck Game of the Week, just because I'm such a non-fan of the entire state. Chan Gailey looks like Knute Friggin' Rockne now that he's whupped up on Miami. I got some news for y'all - he's not that great. Georgia rolls.
North Carolina @ VA Tech - The Hokies can still go to the ACC title game, and quite possibly a BCS bowl. They have plenty of motivation and showed a little something in their bounce-back last week. Go Hokies!
Boston University vs the ghost of Billy Brooks - The biggest success ever to come out of the Fightin' Terriers program, I hope Billy is doing well in his post-NFL career. I am sure he's doing just fine.
Pros
Chicago @ Tampa Bay - Huh? Both of these teams are 7-3? How did that happen? The Bears can play defense, and Chris Simms is still the Bucs QB. I foresee bad things for Tampa Bay.
Pats @ KC - A big test for the Pats - we'll see if the newly reattached wheels stay on. I think so, but I wouldn't have picked the Pats for a 6-4 record at this point, so proceed to the sports book with caution.
Pittsburgh @ Indianapolis - The Colts are for-effing-real. Their offense is scary, and their defense is much improved. Big Ben is back for this one, but I don't think it matters. The Colts have a better shot at 16-0 than any team I can remember.
Giants @ Seattle - Is Eli ready for this? The biggest test for him yet. Much as I'd like to say otherwise (Holy crap, I'm turning into a Giants fan), I don't think the Giants have enough to beat Seattle at home.
Green Bay @ Philadelphia - Neither team is far removed from their period of greatness, but both are circling the drain this year. I think the Eagles are done. Combine that with the fact that I think Favre still cares, and it looks to me like a Packers victory.
Comedic Value Game of the Week - There's a bumper crop of bad games this week - Cleveland-Minnesota, SF-Tennessee, Miami-Oakland, Rams-Texans, and others. So many to choose from. However, to me, the silliest game of the week is New Orleans @ NYJ. The Saints are favored by 1 for two reasons: The Jets starting QB will be a Frankensteinian mash-up of the upper half of Pat Ryan and the legs of Boomer Esiason, and the Vegas computers will die a Y2K-like death if a spread were entered as a negative number.
Go (your team here)!
Colleges
Texas @ A&M - As long as the 'Horns aren't looking ahead to the Rose Bowl, this should be no problem. A&M will be all fired up, but it's not going to do them any good. The Longhorns are 27.5 point favorites, which is an awful lot. I might take some of that, but Texas will win the game handily.
Oklahoma St @ Oklahoma - The Sooners should be good and pissed (and rightly so) over the giant shaft they got in Lubbock last week. OK St is always competitive in this game, but OU should win and cover the 19.5.
Florida St @ Florida - What is up w/ Florida St? They are going backwards just when it really counts. Urban and Co may very well win this one.
Georgia @ Georgia Tech - My vote for Redneck Game of the Week, just because I'm such a non-fan of the entire state. Chan Gailey looks like Knute Friggin' Rockne now that he's whupped up on Miami. I got some news for y'all - he's not that great. Georgia rolls.
North Carolina @ VA Tech - The Hokies can still go to the ACC title game, and quite possibly a BCS bowl. They have plenty of motivation and showed a little something in their bounce-back last week. Go Hokies!
Boston University vs the ghost of Billy Brooks - The biggest success ever to come out of the Fightin' Terriers program, I hope Billy is doing well in his post-NFL career. I am sure he's doing just fine.
Pros
Chicago @ Tampa Bay - Huh? Both of these teams are 7-3? How did that happen? The Bears can play defense, and Chris Simms is still the Bucs QB. I foresee bad things for Tampa Bay.
Pats @ KC - A big test for the Pats - we'll see if the newly reattached wheels stay on. I think so, but I wouldn't have picked the Pats for a 6-4 record at this point, so proceed to the sports book with caution.
Pittsburgh @ Indianapolis - The Colts are for-effing-real. Their offense is scary, and their defense is much improved. Big Ben is back for this one, but I don't think it matters. The Colts have a better shot at 16-0 than any team I can remember.
Giants @ Seattle - Is Eli ready for this? The biggest test for him yet. Much as I'd like to say otherwise (Holy crap, I'm turning into a Giants fan), I don't think the Giants have enough to beat Seattle at home.
Green Bay @ Philadelphia - Neither team is far removed from their period of greatness, but both are circling the drain this year. I think the Eagles are done. Combine that with the fact that I think Favre still cares, and it looks to me like a Packers victory.
Comedic Value Game of the Week - There's a bumper crop of bad games this week - Cleveland-Minnesota, SF-Tennessee, Miami-Oakland, Rams-Texans, and others. So many to choose from. However, to me, the silliest game of the week is New Orleans @ NYJ. The Saints are favored by 1 for two reasons: The Jets starting QB will be a Frankensteinian mash-up of the upper half of Pat Ryan and the legs of Boomer Esiason, and the Vegas computers will die a Y2K-like death if a spread were entered as a negative number.
Go (your team here)!
Thursday, November 24, 2005
Thanksgiving football preview
I'll do a longer post with all the Friday-Monday action covered. However, we've got two pro games today, so let's get to it.
Falcons @ Detroit - Why does Detroit rate a Thanksgiving game every year? The Cowboys have some national appeal, but the Lions? Come on. Regardless, both of these teams put me into a coma. The Falcons are so erratic, but they've got the talent edge. The Lions are one sorry organization. They came into Texas Stadium expecting to lose last week. The Falcons should win this with no problem. This game makes for good beer-drinking background noise, as far as I'm concerned.
Denver @ Dallas - The Massive Tuna is stating the obvious when he calls the Broncos, "the best team we've played this year." Shanahan's system makes heroes out of anyone (see Jake "The Fake" Plummer as Exhibit A, Your Honor). The Cowboys have to win the battles up front - it's just that simple. If Plummer has time and the Denver running game has holes to exploit, it's going to be a long day for the Cowboys' D. Bledsoe is one of the best QBs in the league WHEN HE HAS TIME. If he's running for his life, he's the Bledsoe from the Buffalo days, and it's a bad day for the Cowboys' offense.
I want to pick Dallas, and I will be cheering for them like crazy, but I'm not hopeful. I said that before the Eagles pasting, and I'm fine with being wrong. I just think Denver is too good.
Falcons @ Detroit - Why does Detroit rate a Thanksgiving game every year? The Cowboys have some national appeal, but the Lions? Come on. Regardless, both of these teams put me into a coma. The Falcons are so erratic, but they've got the talent edge. The Lions are one sorry organization. They came into Texas Stadium expecting to lose last week. The Falcons should win this with no problem. This game makes for good beer-drinking background noise, as far as I'm concerned.
Denver @ Dallas - The Massive Tuna is stating the obvious when he calls the Broncos, "the best team we've played this year." Shanahan's system makes heroes out of anyone (see Jake "The Fake" Plummer as Exhibit A, Your Honor). The Cowboys have to win the battles up front - it's just that simple. If Plummer has time and the Denver running game has holes to exploit, it's going to be a long day for the Cowboys' D. Bledsoe is one of the best QBs in the league WHEN HE HAS TIME. If he's running for his life, he's the Bledsoe from the Buffalo days, and it's a bad day for the Cowboys' offense.
I want to pick Dallas, and I will be cheering for them like crazy, but I'm not hopeful. I said that before the Eagles pasting, and I'm fine with being wrong. I just think Denver is too good.
Wednesday, November 23, 2005
Colored bubbles
Here's a cool new toy that will definitely find a place in my home (well, in the backyard, at least): Colored soap bubbles. And the color disappears when the bubble pops.
This is science you can use!
This is science you can use!
The wit and wisdom of Mike Tyson
Lifted from Sturm today: Here are some truly profound quotes from the great thinker of the late 20th Century, Mike Tyson.
My favorites:
“[He] called me a ‘rapist’ and a ‘recluse.’ I’m not a recluse.”
"He was screaming like my wife."
"All praise is to Allah, I'll fight any man, any animal, if Jesus were here I'd fight him too."
My favorites:
“[He] called me a ‘rapist’ and a ‘recluse.’ I’m not a recluse.”
"He was screaming like my wife."
"All praise is to Allah, I'll fight any man, any animal, if Jesus were here I'd fight him too."
First Mavs post of the season
It looks like the Doug Christie era is over in Dallas. What a failed bit that turned into.
Jerry Stackhouse is STILL unable to practice. Is he the next one headed for the golf course on a permanent basis? Time will tell, but it doesn't look promising.
The Mavs have done well without these guys, so it's hardly time to panic. I think they're going to need Stackhouse before it's all said and done, but this just means an opportunity for some guys to step up.
Jerry Stackhouse is STILL unable to practice. Is he the next one headed for the golf course on a permanent basis? Time will tell, but it doesn't look promising.
The Mavs have done well without these guys, so it's hardly time to panic. I think they're going to need Stackhouse before it's all said and done, but this just means an opportunity for some guys to step up.
Tuesday, November 22, 2005
Xbox 360 sells out, whining starts
In news that must be shocking to exactly no one in the Western world, the Xbox 360 sold out in no time today.
Hmm, people were lined up outside electronics stores all day yesterday, waiting for their chance to buy the console. And there weren't enough in the stores for everyone. Wow. Who saw that coming?
And in news that shouldn't be a surprise, but somehow still is, would-be Xbox owners coast to coast are honking because they can't find one. One genius wrote to MSNBC, "If the company could not make much more beyond the preorder of units why keep hyping it?”
Um, to sell it?
This happens every holiday season - there's something that everyone has to have, and there just isn't any way there's going to be enough production to make everyone happy. Tickle Me Elmo, Cabbage Patch Kids, flu vaccine - we've seen it over and over.
Stop with the conspiracy theories and get over it. You'll get your friggin game console next week, or next month, or in early January.
Hmm, people were lined up outside electronics stores all day yesterday, waiting for their chance to buy the console. And there weren't enough in the stores for everyone. Wow. Who saw that coming?
And in news that shouldn't be a surprise, but somehow still is, would-be Xbox owners coast to coast are honking because they can't find one. One genius wrote to MSNBC, "If the company could not make much more beyond the preorder of units why keep hyping it?”
Um, to sell it?
This happens every holiday season - there's something that everyone has to have, and there just isn't any way there's going to be enough production to make everyone happy. Tickle Me Elmo, Cabbage Patch Kids, flu vaccine - we've seen it over and over.
Stop with the conspiracy theories and get over it. You'll get your friggin game console next week, or next month, or in early January.
The greatest living writer of thrillers
With all due respect to Tom Clancy, who was my favorite thriller writer for years before he fell prey to the boredom of success, I would like to introduce you all to the greatest writer of thrillers alive on Earth today: Britain's own Andy McNab.
McNab (a pseudonym) was a highly decorated, long-time soldier/operator in the Brits' Special Air Service. The SAS is one of the grand-daddies of Special Forces and is still, I gather, highly regarded in the special operations world.
McNab combines obvious real-life know-how, an ability to devise and hold together an interesting plot, a great ear for realistic dialog employing a lot of Brit slang, and the ability to clearly write outstanding action sequences. His books are full of tradecraft and techniques that are realistic as hell, his characters are real people with real motivations, and his action fairly leaps off the page.
Most of McNab's work is fiction, starring an ex-SAS operator named Nick Stone. Very little goes right for Nick, but he reacts to the situation as it unfolds and comes through, almost always worse, and sometimes a lot worse, for the wear. Nick narrates the action in the first person and, while we never get a clue what he looks like, he's a keen observer of the people and places around him. He is lethally skilled, but suffers from no direction in life and has, at times, battled out-and-out depression. With good reason - his life is crap. He's very good at a whole slew of things that most people can't even imagine, but has no real-world skills. Everyone he's ever cared about has been killed, usually very messily and right in front of him.
Nick's adventures start in Remote Control and carry on through eight books so far, the most current of which is called Aggressor. Some of the books are better than others. They do form a series; characters and situations carry from one to the next, so it probably helps to read them in order. The best of the lot are Remote Control, Firewall, and Dark Winter.
I encourage you to pick up Remote Control and enjoy Andy's fine work.
McNab (a pseudonym) was a highly decorated, long-time soldier/operator in the Brits' Special Air Service. The SAS is one of the grand-daddies of Special Forces and is still, I gather, highly regarded in the special operations world.
McNab combines obvious real-life know-how, an ability to devise and hold together an interesting plot, a great ear for realistic dialog employing a lot of Brit slang, and the ability to clearly write outstanding action sequences. His books are full of tradecraft and techniques that are realistic as hell, his characters are real people with real motivations, and his action fairly leaps off the page.
Most of McNab's work is fiction, starring an ex-SAS operator named Nick Stone. Very little goes right for Nick, but he reacts to the situation as it unfolds and comes through, almost always worse, and sometimes a lot worse, for the wear. Nick narrates the action in the first person and, while we never get a clue what he looks like, he's a keen observer of the people and places around him. He is lethally skilled, but suffers from no direction in life and has, at times, battled out-and-out depression. With good reason - his life is crap. He's very good at a whole slew of things that most people can't even imagine, but has no real-world skills. Everyone he's ever cared about has been killed, usually very messily and right in front of him.
Nick's adventures start in Remote Control and carry on through eight books so far, the most current of which is called Aggressor. Some of the books are better than others. They do form a series; characters and situations carry from one to the next, so it probably helps to read them in order. The best of the lot are Remote Control, Firewall, and Dark Winter.
I encourage you to pick up Remote Control and enjoy Andy's fine work.
Good God! Delta?
A new system is developing in the Atlantic, which has a reasonable chance to turn into TS Delta, the 28th named storm of the season.
Uncle, already!
UPDATE: And there you go. As of 7:00 EST on Wed, it's now TS Delta. It's way out in the Atlantic, so no one need be too terribly concerned. It's just amazing that the season won't end!
Uncle, already!
UPDATE: And there you go. As of 7:00 EST on Wed, it's now TS Delta. It's way out in the Atlantic, so no one need be too terribly concerned. It's just amazing that the season won't end!
Rangers non-trade aftermath
The Rangers have, once again, stepped on their dicks in trade talks. As noted here (and here) and just about everywhere else in the sports press, Josh Beckett and Mike Lowell are headed to Boston, and Hank Blalock and John Danks are, for the moment, still property of the failed Texas Rangers.
Before I go off on a rant, a moment for objectivity: We don't know if the Marlins were just using the Rangers to up the ante w/ Boston. It's entirely possible that Hanley Ramirez and Anibal Sanchez were the Marlins' target all along. Objectively, I can see taking two top prospects from the Boston system as opposed to a starting position player and top pitching prospect from the Rangers' system. The Red Sox' top pitching prospects are better than anything the Rangers currently have, major league roster included.
Jon Daniels says that he didn't get the opportunity to counter Boston's proposal. In the interest of fairness, I think we have to believe him. Daniels should not be held responsible for the serious credibility problem the Rangers organization has with the ticket-buying public. At least, not yet. And, I'll give him this: He was on the phone w/ Norm Hitzges on The Ticket almost instantly with less double-speak than we're used to out of Arlington.
It's well within the realm of possibility that the Rangers never really had a chance in this sorry tale.
And, continuing to be fair, the sentiment in Red Sox Nation is not 100% euphoria, either. They think they gave up too much. There would be that same sort of sentiment expressed in some quarters here if the trade had gone through, even just for Blalock and Danks.
OK, objectivity time is over. Now, for how I really feel:
How often is a 25-year-old World Series MVP pitcher dangled in front of you? Answer: Never.
The Rangers hemmed and hawed all weekend about giving up a guy who's made a career out of disappearing after the All Star break (Blalock) and a guy who, though highly touted, has yet to dominate at Double A (Danks).
The Marlins had the hammer (sorry, Hank) in this deal. It was incumbent on the trading partner, the Rangers in this case, to put together an attractive-enough package. Blalock and Danks not doing it for you? How about we throw in Adrian Gonzales as well? No? What about Blalock, Danks, and Thomas Diamond? That's two of our three best pitching prospects, neither of whom has dominated above A ball, but still, two of our top three. That's still not doing it? OK, how about Blalock, Danks, and Soriano?
The point is, the Rangers have some chips. For God's sake, Beckett is a ground ball pitcher, which is CRUCIAL in the launching pad the Rangers call home field, and he won the World Series MVP at 21. Against the Yankees. This is your ACE for the next 10 years, assuming you can get him to stay here. Get a couple of other free-agent pitchers (Matt Morris, for example, or even fellow-former-Marlin Burnett) and why wouldn't he stay?
Maybe Danks and Diamond are Hudson and Mulder. But maybe they're Edwin Correa and Bobby Witt (big shout-out to former Rangers pitching prospects who didn't pan out). We don't know. Beckett has a track record, and it's an impressive one. I know, he's had blister problems and has never pitched a ton of innings, but he's 25 years old. It's a risk, but what isn't?
I'm so frustrated I could eat nails.
Because we like to drive ourselves crazy, we'll be watching Beckett's season as a Red Sock closely. Hell, we'll get to see him probably as the opening day starter.
Before I go off on a rant, a moment for objectivity: We don't know if the Marlins were just using the Rangers to up the ante w/ Boston. It's entirely possible that Hanley Ramirez and Anibal Sanchez were the Marlins' target all along. Objectively, I can see taking two top prospects from the Boston system as opposed to a starting position player and top pitching prospect from the Rangers' system. The Red Sox' top pitching prospects are better than anything the Rangers currently have, major league roster included.
Jon Daniels says that he didn't get the opportunity to counter Boston's proposal. In the interest of fairness, I think we have to believe him. Daniels should not be held responsible for the serious credibility problem the Rangers organization has with the ticket-buying public. At least, not yet. And, I'll give him this: He was on the phone w/ Norm Hitzges on The Ticket almost instantly with less double-speak than we're used to out of Arlington.
It's well within the realm of possibility that the Rangers never really had a chance in this sorry tale.
And, continuing to be fair, the sentiment in Red Sox Nation is not 100% euphoria, either. They think they gave up too much. There would be that same sort of sentiment expressed in some quarters here if the trade had gone through, even just for Blalock and Danks.
OK, objectivity time is over. Now, for how I really feel:
How often is a 25-year-old World Series MVP pitcher dangled in front of you? Answer: Never.
The Rangers hemmed and hawed all weekend about giving up a guy who's made a career out of disappearing after the All Star break (Blalock) and a guy who, though highly touted, has yet to dominate at Double A (Danks).
The Marlins had the hammer (sorry, Hank) in this deal. It was incumbent on the trading partner, the Rangers in this case, to put together an attractive-enough package. Blalock and Danks not doing it for you? How about we throw in Adrian Gonzales as well? No? What about Blalock, Danks, and Thomas Diamond? That's two of our three best pitching prospects, neither of whom has dominated above A ball, but still, two of our top three. That's still not doing it? OK, how about Blalock, Danks, and Soriano?
The point is, the Rangers have some chips. For God's sake, Beckett is a ground ball pitcher, which is CRUCIAL in the launching pad the Rangers call home field, and he won the World Series MVP at 21. Against the Yankees. This is your ACE for the next 10 years, assuming you can get him to stay here. Get a couple of other free-agent pitchers (Matt Morris, for example, or even fellow-former-Marlin Burnett) and why wouldn't he stay?
Maybe Danks and Diamond are Hudson and Mulder. But maybe they're Edwin Correa and Bobby Witt (big shout-out to former Rangers pitching prospects who didn't pan out). We don't know. Beckett has a track record, and it's an impressive one. I know, he's had blister problems and has never pitched a ton of innings, but he's 25 years old. It's a risk, but what isn't?
I'm so frustrated I could eat nails.
Because we like to drive ourselves crazy, we'll be watching Beckett's season as a Red Sock closely. Hell, we'll get to see him probably as the opening day starter.
Another nutty musical
In the vein of an opera about J. Robert Oppenheimer and a musical about Imelda Marcos, here's the latest entry in the (semi) serious subject musical file: Ozzy Osbourne has written a musical about Grigory Yefemovich Rasputin, the infamous "Mad Monk" of the Romanov dynasty.
Ozzy says that Rasputin lived the rock-star life before it existed: Wine, women, questionable personal hygiene, etc.
Go Ozzy!
Ozzy says that Rasputin lived the rock-star life before it existed: Wine, women, questionable personal hygiene, etc.
Go Ozzy!
Monday, November 21, 2005
Passenger tries to open airplane door for a smoke
A French tourist tried to open the door of a Cathay Pacific airliner, in flight, to smoke a cigarette.
She's on trial in Australia (where the flight was headed), and is using the "I'm scared to fly, so I got drunk" defense.
Look, I'm scared to fly, and a big part of the fear is falling out of the plane. I get nervous walking by the emergency exits. I would NEVER touch one, much less try to open the damn thing.
She's on trial in Australia (where the flight was headed), and is using the "I'm scared to fly, so I got drunk" defense.
Look, I'm scared to fly, and a big part of the fear is falling out of the plane. I get nervous walking by the emergency exits. I would NEVER touch one, much less try to open the damn thing.
More brand name confusion ahead
SBC recently bought what's left of AT&T. The fine folks at SBC (the worst company in America for my money) think that the AT&T brand has more oomph than the SBC brand, so they're going to start selling all of their services using the AT&T brand.
So, once again, you'll be able to have AT&T phone service, long distance, Internet (DSL this time, not cable), and wireless.
Going bye-bye will be the SBC, SBC-Yahoo!, and Cingular brands, among others.
This stuff gives me a headache.
So, once again, you'll be able to have AT&T phone service, long distance, Internet (DSL this time, not cable), and wireless.
Going bye-bye will be the SBC, SBC-Yahoo!, and Cingular brands, among others.
This stuff gives me a headache.
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