In Boston, Dice K gets roughed up by the Redbirds as Boston falls, 9-3.
Tim Weiner, author of “Legacy of Ashes”, is on this week’s “Word for Word”. Sounds like an excellent read.
On “Left, Right and Center”, Tony Blankley argues that Obama should not have turned down public financing because there “is no Republican 527 money out there, according to the New York Times”. Yeah, sure. I’m positive that, if McCain is trailing in the polls in October, there won’t be any attack ads at all. Give me a break. How do people keep their jobs with such profound ignorance?
Studio 360 asks this week, “If you could, would you leave your current job and become an artist?” In a damn minute.
Clearly, one has to be somewhat heartened seeing Bear Stearns managers getting the perp walk. But you also have to ask, where were they 3 years ago when they should have put rules in place to prevent this kind of chicanery?
Why do people pay at a register with checks? It’s not 1962 any more.
I went to see "Get Smart" tonight. It was fine-very funny. Steve Carrell is excellent, and there were a number of fine cameos. Anne Hathaway is breathtaking, but not for her acting. I'd pay $10 to watch her do math homework.
As I was leaving, I had a little bit of a human moment. As I left the theater to go to my car, there was a young couple in the shadows by the exit door, obviously, due to their closeness and immediate bashfulness, stopped in mid kiss.
Whoever you are, my brother, as Maxwell Smart says, "Sorry about that, chief".
Saturday, June 21, 2008
Friday, June 20, 2008
Denouement
Boston gave up a run in the 8th, which Okeydoke seems to be doing quite regularly. We did manage to push one across in the ninth, but Game 76 is an L, 5-4.
Spirit of Game 76
June 20, 2008
Boston is at home, trailing St. Louis 4-3 after 7 innings.
It’s officially summer tomorrow. Could have fooled me.
I am really tired of working for morons. Among other indignities, today brings “You are empowered to solve issues,” directly from a vice president, on the same day that lower level management decided to shunt resources from my department, which generates 20-25% of our revenue, to a department that generates 5% on a good day. Without asking, of course, whether I concurred (which I didn’t) or indeed had any opinion whatsoever (which I did). By what measure is that an appropriate response? What principle of finance is demonstrated here?
Bill Gates wouldn’t do that. Warren Buffett wouldn’t do that. Napoleon wouldn’t do that. No one does that, except for these idiots. There shouldn’t have had to be a choice. And, since there was a choice, we should have won.
Empowered my ass. By the same principle, Willie Randolph should have told the Mets they were all .300 hitters, because if you say something, it’s true. In order for us to be empowered, we have to, you know, be empowered and stuff.
(Just a quick aside. A striped bra under a transparent yellow t shirt? Really? Now back to your previously scheduled ranting.)
I don't really have that much else to say, all things considered.
Boston is at home, trailing St. Louis 4-3 after 7 innings.
It’s officially summer tomorrow. Could have fooled me.
I am really tired of working for morons. Among other indignities, today brings “You are empowered to solve issues,” directly from a vice president, on the same day that lower level management decided to shunt resources from my department, which generates 20-25% of our revenue, to a department that generates 5% on a good day. Without asking, of course, whether I concurred (which I didn’t) or indeed had any opinion whatsoever (which I did). By what measure is that an appropriate response? What principle of finance is demonstrated here?
Bill Gates wouldn’t do that. Warren Buffett wouldn’t do that. Napoleon wouldn’t do that. No one does that, except for these idiots. There shouldn’t have had to be a choice. And, since there was a choice, we should have won.
Empowered my ass. By the same principle, Willie Randolph should have told the Mets they were all .300 hitters, because if you say something, it’s true. In order for us to be empowered, we have to, you know, be empowered and stuff.
(Just a quick aside. A striped bra under a transparent yellow t shirt? Really? Now back to your previously scheduled ranting.)
I don't really have that much else to say, all things considered.
Thursday, June 19, 2008
What It Takes
June 19, 2008
The Boston Red Sox are off today.
I’m reading Paul Shirley’s book “Can I Keep This Jersey?”, about his peripatetic pro basketball career. It’s excellent, and heartening to the extent that I’m not the only one whose skills go unappreciated and misused.
It’s very interesting to me that the Republicans are attacking Barack Obama as having a “September 10 mindset”, when the one group of people that has absolutely no credibility on fighting terrorism or ensuring our national security is the Republican Party. September 11 happened on the Republicans’ watch, and if they were a baseball manager, they would have been fired.
Rudy Giuliani, who knows a lot about combovers and infidelity, actually went so far as to declare that the Clinton Administration “did nothing” in response to the terrorism of the 1990s. Well, no, they didn’t half start a war in a terrorist hideout, fail to finish it and then invade a country that had nothing to do with terrorism and, in fact, hunted down terrorists within its borders. So, in that sense, no, he didn’t do what Republicans do, no. He did something that actually had a chance of working-trying to capture or kill terrorists. No wonder Republicans were so mad at him.
On the Slate Culture Gabfest, they are discussing an article in the Atlantic Monthly that asks “Is Google Making Us Stupid?” It’s an interesting thesis. I still read, certainly, but as Dana Stevens points out during the discussion, Google does help us outsource rote memorization tasks, which is something that humans really don’t need to do. One of the things a great professor of mine warned our class about was turning into memorizers. He told us we can look up facts-if we understand process, we can use facts to fill in the gaps. As time goes on, the rightness of his warning aches.
I spent my short ride home tonight singing Aerosmith's "What It Takes" at the top of my lungs out my open windows, my eyes tearing up.
Why do I still miss her, 20 years later?
Or do I miss the person I was then, who knew so little and thought he knew too much and would do anything for her?
No, I miss her. I miss her like hell, and I wish I never left her.
The Boston Red Sox are off today.
I’m reading Paul Shirley’s book “Can I Keep This Jersey?”, about his peripatetic pro basketball career. It’s excellent, and heartening to the extent that I’m not the only one whose skills go unappreciated and misused.
It’s very interesting to me that the Republicans are attacking Barack Obama as having a “September 10 mindset”, when the one group of people that has absolutely no credibility on fighting terrorism or ensuring our national security is the Republican Party. September 11 happened on the Republicans’ watch, and if they were a baseball manager, they would have been fired.
Rudy Giuliani, who knows a lot about combovers and infidelity, actually went so far as to declare that the Clinton Administration “did nothing” in response to the terrorism of the 1990s. Well, no, they didn’t half start a war in a terrorist hideout, fail to finish it and then invade a country that had nothing to do with terrorism and, in fact, hunted down terrorists within its borders. So, in that sense, no, he didn’t do what Republicans do, no. He did something that actually had a chance of working-trying to capture or kill terrorists. No wonder Republicans were so mad at him.
On the Slate Culture Gabfest, they are discussing an article in the Atlantic Monthly that asks “Is Google Making Us Stupid?” It’s an interesting thesis. I still read, certainly, but as Dana Stevens points out during the discussion, Google does help us outsource rote memorization tasks, which is something that humans really don’t need to do. One of the things a great professor of mine warned our class about was turning into memorizers. He told us we can look up facts-if we understand process, we can use facts to fill in the gaps. As time goes on, the rightness of his warning aches.
I spent my short ride home tonight singing Aerosmith's "What It Takes" at the top of my lungs out my open windows, my eyes tearing up.
Why do I still miss her, 20 years later?
Or do I miss the person I was then, who knew so little and thought he knew too much and would do anything for her?
No, I miss her. I miss her like hell, and I wish I never left her.
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
On the Firing Line
First off, late last night the Boston Celtics won their 17th NBA Championship by throttling the Los Angeles Lakers, 131-92.
Secondly, the Boston Red Sox finished off the series in Philadelphia, winning game 75 of the 2008 baseball season. Justin Masterson beat Kyle Kendrick, 7-4. JD Drew had four hits and a home run, and Mike Lowell had a home run as well. Boston heads back home, where they welcome St. Louis and Arizona.
Thirdly, it rained briefly today, and it is a pleasant, cool evening. I got to see Simon briefly, which is nice.
Willie Randolph got fired a couple of days ago, bizarrely, at about 3am, after flying him all the way to California, where he won the game and then got canned. I'm not at all sure this is going to help them. I wrote on here previously, I believe, that if the answer to the question, "who can we get to play the outfield" is "Marlon Andersen", then you have a problem. Randolph presided over one of the worst collapses in baseball history last year, so maybe he needs to be fired. Maybe a baseball team that has to run out Marlon Andersen, Fernando Tatis, and Endy Chavez as major league baseball players isn't going to win with John McGraw as manager.
The point is, the team was struggling, so the head man got canned. Period. That's the way it goes. Fair or unfair, it's your ship, so you get shoved overboard.
An interesting parallel is to the current presidential administration. Who got fired by this President because of their gross dereliction of duty? OK, I'll give you Michael Brown. Who else?
Secondly, the Boston Red Sox finished off the series in Philadelphia, winning game 75 of the 2008 baseball season. Justin Masterson beat Kyle Kendrick, 7-4. JD Drew had four hits and a home run, and Mike Lowell had a home run as well. Boston heads back home, where they welcome St. Louis and Arizona.
Thirdly, it rained briefly today, and it is a pleasant, cool evening. I got to see Simon briefly, which is nice.
Willie Randolph got fired a couple of days ago, bizarrely, at about 3am, after flying him all the way to California, where he won the game and then got canned. I'm not at all sure this is going to help them. I wrote on here previously, I believe, that if the answer to the question, "who can we get to play the outfield" is "Marlon Andersen", then you have a problem. Randolph presided over one of the worst collapses in baseball history last year, so maybe he needs to be fired. Maybe a baseball team that has to run out Marlon Andersen, Fernando Tatis, and Endy Chavez as major league baseball players isn't going to win with John McGraw as manager.
The point is, the team was struggling, so the head man got canned. Period. That's the way it goes. Fair or unfair, it's your ship, so you get shoved overboard.
An interesting parallel is to the current presidential administration. Who got fired by this President because of their gross dereliction of duty? OK, I'll give you Michael Brown. Who else?
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Helpless
In Philadelphia, Jon Lester pitched 7 strong, while Hideki Okajima and Jonathan Papelbon wrapped up a 3-0 lead.
In Boston, the Celtics are embarassing the Los Angeles Lakers. 79-48, halfway through the third quarter. Unless a complete trainwreck occurs, Boston should put away its 17th NBA title.
So much for the Kobe=MJ debate.
Check out www.goodreads.com
I am increasingly discouraged with the condition of the world. I don't think things are going to get any better, on any front, any time soon.
In Boston, the Celtics are embarassing the Los Angeles Lakers. 79-48, halfway through the third quarter. Unless a complete trainwreck occurs, Boston should put away its 17th NBA title.
So much for the Kobe=MJ debate.
Check out www.goodreads.com
I am increasingly discouraged with the condition of the world. I don't think things are going to get any better, on any front, any time soon.
Monday, June 16, 2008
Not so healthy, the colon
In Philadelphia, the Boston Red Sox took one on the chin today, losing to the Phillies, 8-2. Bartolo Colon gave up three homers.
I went back to work today, and predictably, it is a disaster. Nothing was done, and there was crap everywhere. I hate my job, and I am so tired of breathing.
I went back to work today, and predictably, it is a disaster. Nothing was done, and there was crap everywhere. I hate my job, and I am so tired of breathing.
Sunday, June 15, 2008
"There is no charge for awesomeness"
My son and I saw Kung Fu Panda today. It was cute enough-pretty standard issue Star Wars-ish story. Graphics are spectacular, of course, and Jack Black's voice work is excellent. Not a work of genius like "The Incredibles", though. However fine a job Dreamworks does, they still aren't as special as Pixar's movies.
At the US Open, Tiger Woods drained a difficult birdie putt on 18 to force a playoff with Rocco Mediate, who was poised to become the oldest Open champion.
In Cincinnati, the Red Sox slugged four homers (Drew, Crisp, Pedroia, Ellsbury) while Josh Beckett pitched a shutout for a 9-0 win. Boston goes to Philadelphia, my current home turf, for 3 before returning home to face the roughed up Cardinals and strong Diamondbacks.
I am currently reading Vincent Bugliosi's "The Prosecution of George W. Bush for Murder". As the title implies, it is a laying out of the case for not only the impeachment, but instead the criminal trial of the President of the United States for murder after his term has concluded.
As his books always are, it is incredibly compelling reading. Obviously, I was in sympathy with this message, but even so, Bugliosi makes a case it is impossible to deny.
At the US Open, Tiger Woods drained a difficult birdie putt on 18 to force a playoff with Rocco Mediate, who was poised to become the oldest Open champion.
In Cincinnati, the Red Sox slugged four homers (Drew, Crisp, Pedroia, Ellsbury) while Josh Beckett pitched a shutout for a 9-0 win. Boston goes to Philadelphia, my current home turf, for 3 before returning home to face the roughed up Cardinals and strong Diamondbacks.
I am currently reading Vincent Bugliosi's "The Prosecution of George W. Bush for Murder". As the title implies, it is a laying out of the case for not only the impeachment, but instead the criminal trial of the President of the United States for murder after his term has concluded.
As his books always are, it is incredibly compelling reading. Obviously, I was in sympathy with this message, but even so, Bugliosi makes a case it is impossible to deny.
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