Tuesday, May 30, 2017

The Bubbler

Do you know what a bubbler is? If you do - there's a good chance you're from New England. And over a certain age because bubblers are going the way of floppy disks.

For those not in the know - a bubbler (pronounced "bub-lah") is what you'd probably call a drinking fountain. 

Bubbler is one of those words or phrases that are particularly New England. Others include "packie" (short for package store - what you would call a liquor store), "basement" (growing up - kids in school all asked if they could go to the "basement" instead of asking if they could go to the bathroom or restroom) and of course "a large regular" (which is a large coffee with cream and sugar).

Linky Links

Stuff I found interesting or amusing and thought I'd share.

- Can you imagine trying to get away with a gym class like this today? We have become so soft.

- Did I mention how soft we've become?

- This is fantastic. I guess not everyone is soft.

- Brian Greene - making sense of string theory

- Charter disconnects some former Time Warner subscribers mid-day, mid-show

Monday, May 29, 2017

JFK




JFK would have turned 100-years old today. No idea how old JKFC would be today.

HMS Jersey

On this Memorial Day it is good to remember not just those who have given their last full measure in the past few generations but also the earliest Americans who gave their all. The story of the HMS Jersey is a good place to start:
One of the most gruesome chapters in the story of America’s struggle for independence from Britain occurred in the waters near New York Harbor, near the current location of the Brooklyn Navy Yard. From 1776 to 1783, the British forces occupying New York City used abandoned or decommissioned warships anchored just offshore to hold those soldiers, sailors and private citizens they had captured in battle or arrested on land or at sea (many for refusing to swear an oath of allegiance to the British Crown). Some 11,000 prisoners died aboard the prison ships over the course of the war, many from disease or malnutrition. Many of these were inmates of the notorious HMS Jersey, which earned the nickname “Hell” for its inhumane conditions and the obscenely high death rate of its prisoners.
Abraham Clark of New Jersey was a signatory of  Declaration of Independence. Both of Clark's sons were captured and held prisoner on the HMS Jersey. His eldest son died there of STARVATION! More that twice as many Americans died aboard those British prison ships that actually died in battle during the Revolutionary war.

Saturday, May 27, 2017

George W. Bush


From the moment he left office, I have long said that history was going to be kind to George W. Bush. And I continue to see no reason to doubt my prediction.

Most people don't know or want to acknowledge just how damn smart George W was and is!

In performance of his duties of President, George W. was closer to Ronald Reagan than his own father. Both Reagan an Bush were called "cowboys" by a mocking media but both Presidents embraced the title as a compliment not an insult.

Nobody did more to end the threat of world communism than Ronald Reagan. Nbody has done more to stem the spread of HIV in Africa than George W. Bush - yet neither was even considered for a Nobel Peace Prize (which are worthless awards at this point).

Yes indeed - history will be very kind to George W. Bush. Both for his accomplishments in office and in comparison to those who followed him in the Office of President.

88 Lines About 44 Women - The Nails



Haven't heard this song in quite some time.

Friday, May 26, 2017

Top 5 - John Wayne Movies

Today would have been the Duke's 110th birthday. here are what I consider his top 5 movies.

1. True Grit
2. The Quiet Man
3. The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance
4. Red River
5. (tie) Rooster Cogburn (tie) She Wore a Yellow Ribbon

Missing the list are both The Shootist (a sentimental favorite of mine since it was his last movie) and The Searchers (because I still haven't seen it). 

Thursday, May 25, 2017

Linky Links

Stuff I found interesting or amusing and thought I'd share.

- Heh Heh

- I hope Mitt Romney does run for the Senate in Utah. Politics really needs more people like him.

- Heh Heh II

- I know this is cheesy but I love it! Go Preds!

- Heh Heh III

- This is awesome!

- Heh Heh IV

- Interesting metaphor for just how small the Planck Scale actually is

The Mindset of Seattle vs the Mindset of New England

Fascinating read about how Richard Sherman can't let go of Malcolm Butler's interception in the Super Bowl two years ago. The story fills in the gaps as to why Sherman was very publicly on the trade block by the Seahawks this past offseason. The story also helps highlight how great the New England Patriots really are.

I could not help but think while reading the article that you'd never hear a player on the Patriots' defense criticize Tom Brady (even in private I assume) the way Richard Sherman rips QB Russell Wilson. I also kept thinking about all those interviews I've seen over the years of veteran players coming to the Patriots and how surprised they are to see coach Bill Belichick rip into Brady as if he was just another player.

Not like that in Seattle. Not by a long shot.

Personally I love Pete Carroll's credo for interviews of "no negatives". That seems to be a great example to emulate for a happier life but for building a football dynasty? Maybe not so much. The Patriots won the Super Bowl in February but as a team they are already on to the season opener vs the Chiefs in their mindset. Meanwhile the Seahawks' mindset seem stuck on the last game from 2015.

The Patriots have the mindset of a dynasty and that makes all the difference.

Tuesday, May 23, 2017

Roger Moore RIP


The always classy Roger Moore has passed away at age 89. To me Moore will always first and foremost be Beau Maverick. As James Bond? In hindsight Moore might have said it best, "Daniel Craig looks like a killer. Whereas I look like a decrepit lover." That wasn't true of course. Moore's Bond was a suave, man of humor and class - just like Moore in real life.

Thursday, May 18, 2017

Flotsam and Jetsam

Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.

"Not now Gisele - I have a concussion!" Come on - who among us hasn't used that excuse to get out of sex with a supermodel?... George W just wants to say "hey!"... My iPhone has started identifying some unknown calls as "Scam Likely" which I love! Also Scam Likely was my porn name... It's been 25-years since Larry Bird last played for the Celtics. Damn I feel old... Such a great time waster... If you think of it Sam and Frodo basically through-hiked the distance of the Appalachian Trail to get the ring from the Shire to Mount Doom...

Tuesday, May 16, 2017

Neil deGrasse Tyson Explains the Big Bang to Adam Carolla

Neil: Once there was a single point in the universe that was unimaginatively small and dense. So dense that all the matter in the universe was contained in that single tiny point.

Adam: Whoa, whoa whoa!  How could it be unimaginatively small if you egg-heads imagined it? Sorry but you can't sneak those things by me because of my hyper-vigilance.

Neil: OK! OK! Now suddenly this incredibly small point explodes. Trillions and trillions of atoms burst forth. Atoms of matter and anti-matter. The atoms of matter and anti-matter annihilate each other. For each 400,000 billion atoms of matter and anti-matter just a single atom survives the annihilation. And those surviving atoms are what end up making up the universe - you, me, the planets, the stars, everything.

Adam: So what you're saying is the Big Bang was like if God farted...

Neil: Dude - what?

Adam: Yeah imagine God's unimaginatively small clenched sphincter. Then suddenly boom! The universe's biggest fart. The air outside annihilates the air from the fart and all that is left over is a tiny bit of fecal matter. You, me, the planets, the stars, everything - we're God's leftover fecal matter.

Neil: Well I guess that's one way to look at it but Adam you know I'm an atheist right?

Adam: Me too - but if you can imagine that other shit why not this?

NFL Draft

Here's an idea that I've had for some time regarding where the NFL Draft should be held. This year the draft was held in Philadelphia. Why not hold the NFL Draft in the city of the winner of last season's Super Bowl?

I know there would be some logistical challenges since the draft is held at the end of April and the Super Bowl is in early February. I agree that's not much time. But if the league started the process during Conference Championship week there would be almost another month to prepare and just 4 possible cities to worry about.

Getting the NFL Draft would be a great economic boom to the host city. What better way for the NFL to reward success?  Every NFL city has the facilities and the hotel rooms to host the event so why not make the location based upon performance?

Monday, May 15, 2017

Heh Heh

In 1986, Mkele Mbembe was on holiday in Kenya after graduating from Northwestern University . On a hike through the bush, he came across a young bull elephant standing with one leg raised in the air. The elephant seemed distressed, so Mbembe approached it very carefully. He got down on one knee and inspected the elephant's foot and found a large piece of wood deeply embedded in it. As carefully and as gently as he could, Mbembe worked the wood out with his hunting knife, after which the elephant gingerly put down its foot.
The elephant turned to face the man, and with a rather curious look on its face, stared at him for several tense moments. Mbembe stood frozen, thinking of nothing else but being trampled. Eventually the elephant trumpeted loudly, turned, and walked away. Mbembe never forgot that elephant or the events of that day.
Twenty years later, Mbembe was walking through the Chicago Zoo with his teenaged son. As they approached the elephant enclosure, one of the creatures turned and walked over to near where Mbembe and his son Tapu were standing. The large bull elephant stared at Mbembe, lifted its front foot off the ground, then put it down. The elephant did that several times then trumpeted loudly, all the while staring at the man.
Remembering the encounter in 1986, Mbembe couldn't help wondering if this was the same elephant. Mbembe summoned up his courage, climbed over the railing and made his way into the enclosure. He walked right up to the elephant and stared back in wonder. The elephant trumpeted again, wrapped its trunk around one of Mbembe's legs and slammed him against the railing, killing him instantly.
Probably wasn't the same elephant.

Linky Links

Stuff I found interesting or amusing and thought I'd share.

- But I thought the science was settled? Scientists argue Big Bang vs Big Bounce

- 10 lessons from Tim Ferris

- Charlie Munger: The Psychology of Human Misjudgement

- Interesting kettlebell workout routine

- Another workout routine from Outside Magazine

- While we are talking workouts - the secrets of Tom Brady's personal trainer

Sunday, May 14, 2017

Flotsam and Jetsam

Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.

Yesterday was National Hummus Day. This giving a "day" to each little thing has gotten ridiculous... US States renamed for countries with similar GDP's... Quote of the Day: "Death is my exit strategy," - Craig Newmark founder of Craig's List... Who knew? The Flat Earth Society has members around the globe... I thought they were saying after dinner and the movie and I'm like "Why wait?"... Just a reminder but Red Auerbach won just a single NBA Coach of the Year Award. That was for the season in which the Celtics won their eighth  of nine consecutive championships... The media reacting to Trump be like...

Mr. T and Mother's Day



Mr. T says to treat your mother right!

The founder of Mother's Day later tried to have it scrapped. I find the last paragraph ironically funny.

Thursday, May 11, 2017

Sihugo Green

People talk about Sam Bowie over Michael Jordan as the biggest draft day mistake in history but for my money Sihugo Green was a much bigger mistake.

In the 1956 NBA draft, the Rochester Royals had the first pick and the Boston Celtics had the second pick (via a trade with St. Louis). With the first pick Rochester selected 6'2" Sihugo Green of Duquesne. With the second pick, the Boston Celtics selected Bill Russell of San Francisco.

The rest is history.

In case you never heard of Sihugo - he ended up playing 9 season (his last with the Celtics BTW) and averaged 9.2 points per game and 3.3 assists for his career.

The Talented Mr. Putin

You may have seen the video of Vladimir Putin playing hockey (again). I know it is silly but not as silly or vain as that video of Putin trying to sing Blueberry Hill.



Impressive but not Mitt Romney fighting Evander Holyfield impressive.

Wednesday, May 10, 2017

Top 5 - Things That are (Much) Bigger on the Inside

Finally saw Fantastic Beasts over the weekend and I enjoyed it very much. The movie made me think of this list.

1. The Tardis from Doctor Who (you knew this would be number one)

2. Newt Scamander's suitcase

3. Oscar the Grouch's trashcan

4. Barty Crouch Jr's trunk (where he imprisoned Mad Eye Moody)

5. Madonna's vagina (couldn't resist)

Saturday, May 06, 2017

Kentucky Derby 2017


One of the big questions to be answered at today's Kentucky Derby is if Rob Gronkowski attends - can he top this outfit from 2015? If Tom Brady attends it goes without saying that he'll be one of the coolest dressed men at Churchill Downs.

Friday, May 05, 2017

Chrysippus

Ancient Greek philosopher Chrysippus died of laughter. He got his donkey drunk and then couldn't stop laughing while watching the donkey trying to eat figs. That was the ancient equivalent of watching drunk David Hasselhoff eat a cheeseburger I guess..

Flotsam and Jetsam

Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.

So let me get this straight - Obama wanted to take the man who could have prevented the Civil War off the $20 bill?... Heh heh... I swear - George H.W. Bush must have made a sacred oath not to die until Ross Perot kicked the bucket first... Vengeful Farts would be a good name for a punk band or a fantasy football team... Wow - Jim Carey really let himself go... Vodka Monkeys would be a good name for a band... Kiss cam wants you to pretend that's your stepmom... Emojis are turning texting into a modern game of Concentration... While Pablo Sandoval is on the DL - the Red Sox should send his picture to every Dunkin Donuts in Massachusetts with the message "Don't sell this man donuts"... Roger Goodell is a monster... All the whores and politicians look up and shout "save us" and Mitt Romney looks down and whispers "No"... Heh heh...

Wednesday, May 03, 2017

Isaiah Thomas

After Isaiah Thomas dropped 53 points to help Boston beat the Wizards in game two of their NBA playoff match-up last night - I thought it was timely to remind people just how the Celtics came to have the All-Star point guard.

In 2015 Danny Ainge as part of a 3-team trade sent Tayshaun Prince and Marcus Thornton plus a 1st round pick out and received back Isaiah Thomas and Jonas Jerebko back. Talk about highway robbery. Prince didn't even play in the NBA this season and Thornton had a total of just 219 points all season for Washington (or 80 less than Jerebko). Did I mention highway robbery?

As an aside - is "Pizza Guy" really a nickname for Isaiah Thomas? Nobody calls him that.