101 Greatest Movie Villians

Very cool.

I would argue that missing from the montage but could have been included were Captain Hadley from Shawshank, Gary Oldman as both Stansfield in The Professional and as Dracula, Dudley Smith from LA Confidential, and Lee Marvin as Liberty Valance.

Dan Haren

The Angels did not exercise their 2013 $15.5 million option on starting pitcher Dan Haren and instead will be giving him a $3.5 million buy-out making him a free agent. That news comes on the heels of the news that an announced deal that would have sent Haren to the Cubs for Carlos Marmol fell apart at the last minute.

I don't understand this - I don't understand this at all.

First off - Carlos Marmol isn't chopped liver. He's a good reliever with a live arm about to enter his prime (just 29-years old). If the Cubs were willing to give up Marmol then there had to have been other clubs offering something - anything for Haren. By not picking up Haren's option then the Angels get nothing.

I've seen speculation that the Cubs may have been scared off the deal once they saw Haren's medical reports. This could be. Haren does have a bad back but Haren also came back from that bad back to go 3-2 with a 3.07 ERA in September in the middle of a playoff race. That's worth the risk for a team like the Red Sox who have deep pockets but not a deep rotation. 2012 was a bad year for Haren yet his 4.33 ERA for the year would have been the best among Boston pitchers with at least 10 starts. Don't tell me they wouldn't have given up something for Haren.

Could this have been financial? Marmol is on the books for almost $10 million in 2013. But again - by declining the option the Angels still pay the $3.5 million buyout but get nothing in return. This just doesn't make sense.

NYC Marathon

Mike Francesa has a must watch video about the outrage many average New Yorkers feel about the decision to run the New York City Marathon. I agree with him 100%.

The sponsors can't be too happy about this situation. I'm guessing when PowerBar signed on as a sponsor they didn't think they were about to become the official energy bar of the Hunger Games.

Presidential Pardons

If President Obama loses the election one of the most interesting things to watch for will be who he decides to give Presidential pardons to on the way out the door. I'm inclined to believe that President Obama may give Attorney General Eric Holder a blanket pardon. Holder would then become where the buck stops on anything the Administration did that may have been in less than the spirit of the law. Fast and Furious would be the obvious scandal that could stop at Holder's door. In exchange for immunity Holder could take the blame for that. Taking illegal foreign campaign contributions? Holder could step up and say "My bad!" There are any number of examples (and probably many more will see the light of day if Obama loses Tuesday).

Many people have called for Eric Holder's resignation for many years. The President stuck by Holder probably because Holder knew too much. Giving Holder a pardon in exchange for Holder agreeing to take the blame for anything and everything would seem a fair exchange. I'm not sure if the law allows for pardons for crimes that have not been charged yet but hey - when did a little thing like the law stop this Administration?

Just combine the pardon with yet another Executive order - presto chango!

Linky Links

Stuff I found interesting and thought I'd share.

- 10 of the most beautiful libraries in the US. I love libraries.

- This was an awesome Halloween costume. Part of me worries that the kid is an only child and parents to go to that extreme may be a bit smothering. I hope my concern is unfounded because that was an awesome costume.

- 15 Offbeat holidays in November

- Will Middlebrooks and the Red Sox. More like him please.

Red Sox 2013 Starting Pitching

Gordon Edes has a good look at the options available to the Red Sox for their 2013 starting rotation.

Its interesting that Edes doesn't view Alfredo Aceves as a persona non grata with the Red Sox and actually considered him a viable option for the starting rotation. I would think John Farrell would be best served eliminating any headache players from 2012 with Aceves at the top of the list. Aceves is still under team control and will probably only cost a little more than $2 million in arbitration - I'd be dangling him in trade talks.

Also interesting that he doesn't even mention Vincent Padilla as an option. Padilla would be relatively inexpensive to keep and did average more than a K per inning in 2012. He came into town with a bad reputation but he was a solid citizen whose stock with fans went way up as he was one of the only players to attend Johnny Pesky's funeral.

If the Red Sox keep John Lackey then they would have a rotation of Jon Lester, Clay Buchholz, Felix Dubront and Lackey. If that's the case then they have a number of young arms that could step up to be the number 5 starter or fill in if there are any significant injuries.

My preference would be to trade away John Lackey and bring in either Dan Haren or Cliff Lee (if the Phillies are looking to move his contract). Fangraphs has a very good look at Haren whose option may not be picked up by the Angels. It should be noted that 2012 was a bad year for Haren but his 4.33 ERA still would have been the better than any Red Sox starter with more than 10 starts last season.

Linky Links

Stuff I found interesting and thought I'd share.

- The dad justice on drunk guy video is awesome. They took that guy down like they were a pack of velocoraptors.

- Thinking about Tyrone Woods. Rest in peace you very, very brave American.

- Obama Campaign accepts donations from Osama bin Laden.

- How big was Hurricane Sandy? Look at this side by side comparison to last year's Hurricane Irene

The Proper Words Escape me

It would take more than Hurricane Sandy to keep the honor guard at the Tomb of the unknown Soldier from performing their duty. I don't have the words...

Photo via Marta Evry

Flotsam and Jetsam

Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.

I stayed up last night to watch the final out of the World Series. I have to agree with Chad Finn of the Boston Globe that the Erin Andrews interview of Marco Scuturo may have been the worst live interview in the history of TV... Steve Jobs made small devices that were elegant and utilitarian but I have to say that his yacht is gigantic, butt-ass ugly and I'm not sure how well it would fare in a storm... Random fact about me - when I was younger I memorized both the lyrics to REM's It's the End of the World As We Know It and the words on the Budweiser label (this is the famous Budweiser beer)... Notre Dame is for real! Who saw this coming?... Would "The Taint of Destiny" be a good name for a fantasy football team?... This place looks awesome! Not a fan of going shopping but I would frequent this store on a regular basis if there was one near me. A "liquid delicatessen" what a great idea... The things you learn from the Internet - the word "listen" contains the same letters as the word "silent"... Fordham's kicker, Patrick Murray, has an NFL caliber leg. I wouldn't be surprised to see him playing on Sunday's... If Barack Obama loses the election - the combination of Michele's expensive tastes and his Jimmy Carter level incompetence may narrow his earning potential to the point where he could be broke in five years...

2011 Patriots vs 2012 Patriots

Very interesting look at the statistical differences between last year's Patriots team and this year's.

The bottom line is it can be argued that this year's edition is superior to last year. Keep in mind that last year's team was one dropped pass away from winning the Super Bowl.

Presidential Election Prediction

Mitt Romney is going to win by a landslide on November 6th. He is going to win for 3 main reasons:

1. He has the Republican base energized. They not only will come out in large numbers but are also acting now doing the ground-game get out the vote grunt work.
2. Romney is winning the independent vote mainly based upon his economic arguments and plans. People aren't stupid. They see that the policies of the past 4 years are not working.
3. The above two reasons would give Romney a win but not a landslide. What will give Romney a landslide will be Democrats refusing to vote for Obama. Again some of this will be based upon economic policies but I think many will refuse to pull the lever because of the way the deaths of Ambassador Stevens and three other Americans in Benghazi was handled. I think the revulsion shown by Democrat pollster Pat Caddell in this video clip is shared by many informed Democratic voters.

When the post election postmortem is done I think the numbers will show that in state after state many more Democrats voted for the federal offices of Senator or Congressman than voted for the Democrat at the top of the ticket. These folks may not vote for Mitt Romney but by not voting for Barack Obama they will be widening the gap which will be the difference between a slim victory and a landslide.

A Very Nice Story

Good for Andrew Luck and the Colts. This was a very nice story.

Top 10 Comedy Screenplays

Ken Levine got me thinking with his post of what he considers the 10 best comedy screenplays of all time. I like Ken's list but my taste in humor must be very different because I came up with completely different choices. In order to stop thinking about the subject I decided to jot down my top 10. Here they are in no particular order:

The Thin Man
Monty Python and the Holy Grail
Caddyshack
Groundhog Day
Fletch
Blazing Saddles
Catch 22
The Princess Bride
Airplane!
Being There

And for my 11th choice - Used Cars. Just missing the list My Man Godfrey, The Naked Gun, This Is Spinal Tap, and My Favorite Year. These lists are completely subjective but I think my list would stand up to anyone's.

8 Years Ago Today

Flotsam and Jetsam

Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.

If I was running for President - I'd announce that I was replacing the TSA will local police and FBI agents and that I was going to make the Monday after the Super Bowl a national holiday. That should be good for at least 10 points in the polls... Very cool - how to eat a Triceratops. Make sure you see all the illustrations... According to Deadspin - of 58 ESPN and Sports Illustrated baseball writers - none of them predicted a Tigers vs Giants World Series. In Italy they could have been arrested for those faulty predictions... In 10 years what will seem a stranger team name - the Utah Jazz or the Bronx Islanders?... Regarding Bobby Valentine - the Boston media should learn from the Internet - DO NOT FEED THE TROLL... Thank you CNN for putting the image of a self-lubricating catheter into my head. Yeah - thank you very much for that.

Presidential Debate - Round Three

Some quick thoughts on last night's Presidential Debate.

Some people are using a boxing analogy to describe the debates but the problem with that analogy (if you want to go with it) is Mitt Romney opened up such a big cut on President Obama in the first debate that the fight would have been called and Romney given a TKO by now. The President is still bleeding from that first round.

In a debate on foreign policy I was very surprised that we went the full 90-minutes with neither Fast and Furious or NATO being mentioned. Very surprised.

Every debate there's always an answer you wished your guy gave. This is how I wish Mitt Romney would have responded to the "horses and bayonets" jab from the President: 

"Bob was nice enough to start us off tonight with a question about the Cuban Missile Crisis. It was during that crisis 50-years ago that the aircraft carrier USS Enterprise first entered the American consciousness as the backbone of US defense. Now the Enterprise is about to be scrapped at a time when it could still be of great use around the globe. I'm guessing those folks in Norfolk, VA who may be losing their jobs because the battle group is being decommissioned probably don't appreciate being compared to 'horses and bayonets' . And Mr. President - submarines existed in 1916. In fact it was a German U-boat sinking the US Lusitania in 1915 which effectively got us into WWI."

Now that the debates are done - I can't wait for the "Hitler in the Bunker" video where he wants to discuss the President's strategy for the 4th debate.

ESPN and the Presidential Election

ESPN just announced that Chris Berman will be interviewing both President Obama and Mitt Romney during the November 6th Monday Night Football telecast. I would much rather see ESPN use this opportunity to have Jon Gruden break down film from their debate performances.

How great would be it to have Gruden refer to the President as "this guy" with Obama sitting right next to him?

Linky Links

Stuff I found interesting and thought I'd share.

- The mysterious origins of the 8 glasses of water per day rule. Very interesting.

- 22 amazing slow-motion GIF's

- 99 life-hacks that could make your life easier. I've posted these before but they are so good they bear repeating.

- UMass coach awards two scholarships in a very cool way.

- The missing women of LoTR

- I love tree houses.

Louie

Big fan of the show Louie by Louis CK. The show is like a series of mini comedic art-house movies. The show has some recurring characters but linear progression of story-lines are completely optional. The problem with the show for most fans is the fact there are so few episodes. I have a potential solution to this problem.

Louis CK has tons of stand-up buddies. Don't you think he could get some of them to do their own half-hour comedic art-house movies which would be produced by Louis. Don't you think Steven Wright could have some interesting stories to tell in a manner true to the spirit of the show. You could even have some episodes where the guest comedian pretends to be Louis. Like having Steven Wright dye his hair red.  Louis could have his six episodes per season and his buddies could do another six.

Just a suggestion.

Would Hunter S. Thompson Vote for Mitt Romney?

With the passing of George McGovern - I thought it worthwhile to repost this: It’s been almost 40 years and coming up on 10 Presidential elections since Hunter S. Thompson released his political opus Fear and Loathing: On the Campaign Trail ’72. Reading the book today it is almost impossible to not wonder what Hunter S. would make of the current election contest between President Barack Obama and Republican Mitt Romney. The easy assumption would be to think that Thompson would support the Democrat Obama but would that really be the case? Too long an article to post here. Too much time invested by me to just give it away. Buy the essay Would Hunter S. Thompson Vote for Mitt Romney? Revisiting Fear and Loathing: On the Campaign Trail '72. It's just $.99 and is well worth your time and money.

Flotsam and Jetsam

Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.

With the way he's blown a once commanding lead in the polls - it has to be said that if Obama was an NFL coach - he'd be Norv Turner...  Gradient view of Sun. Very cool... Worth mentioning that George W. Bush helped save Africa from total devastation from the AIDS virus but he was never even mentioned for a Nobel Prize. Tell me again what Barack Obama did to deserve his?... "First you get the money, then you get the binders, then you get the women," Mitt Romney as Tony "Scarface" Montana... In the last debate Mitt Romney was asked why he isn't like George W. Bush. It was patently unfair that Barack Obama wasn't made to answer why he isn't like Jimmy Carter... Wow - former Notre Dame football coach Ty Willingham now an assistant women's golf coach at Stanford...

Linky Links

Stuff I found interesting and thought I'd share.

- Lee Iaccoca endorses Mitt Romney for President. The article notes that the endorsement should help Romney in Pennsylvania (Iaccoca's home state) and in Michigan but I'd add that Iaccoca will also help nationally among Italians, seniors and Catholics.

- Mad Men and Presidential Debate Mashup.

- Fantastic look at what Bill Snyder has meant to both Kansas State and Manhattan, Kansas.

- Very cool video from the ISS (International Space Station)

- Wow - just wow!

The Granderson Trade

The Tigers beat the Yankees and the seeds of that defeat for the Yankees were sown back in December of 2009 when as part of a three-team trade Curtis Granderson was traded to the Yankees.

Here's what I wrote about the trade at the time.

Granderson supporters will say their guy hit 43 HR. Big deal! For the record - Austin Jackson had a .856 OPS with 260 total bases while Granderson had an .811 OPS and 293 TB. Let me also add that Jackson is under team control until 2016 and by the way he had a .353 batting average against the Yankees in the Tigers sweep of the series.

I'd say the Tigers won the trade even if it was just Granderson for Jackson but the Tigers also got Phil Coke (who had 2 saves against New York) and Max Scherzer (who beat the Yankees in game 4).

Mitt Romney Addresses Al Smith Dinner

This is so awesome!

We Don't Throw at .260 Hitters

This was really the beginning of the end of Alex Rodriguez as an elite hitter. The myth goes that Jason Varitek said, "We don't throw at .260 hitters" right before he smushed his glove in his face. That must have crushed Mr. Half-Centaur's confidence.

He never recovered.

Linky Links

Stuff I found interesting and thought I'd share.

- When I see something like this - first I laugh and then I remember that TGI Friday's was started as a single's bar.

- Awesome photo - the Milky Way over Mount Rainier.

- Very cool look at Peter Gabriel's song Biko. One of my favorites.

- The was the answer from the last debate that was the nail in the coffin of Obama's campaign.

Bill Murray for Cubs Analyst

Bob Brenley is leaving his post as the color analyst for Cubs games on WGM. In my opinion WGN should throw whatever money it would take to get Bill Murray to replace Brenley in the broadcasting booth.

This would make lots of sense financially for WGN. How many out of town cable systems would pick up WGN just to hear what the immortal Bill Murray has to say? Rain delays alone would become epic!

Plus whatever network that is about to broadcast Roadhouse could get to sponsor the Murray family calls to Kelly Lynch! That sponsorship money by itself could pay Bill Murray's salary!

Who could possibly be against this idea?

Incredible Microscopic Images

Here are 11 incredible microscopic images.

This image of garlic just blows my mind. I'll never look at garlic cloves the same.

This is an image of butterfly eggs on Mistletoe. But if it was a Rorschach test - I'd say it was boobs.

This is a fruit fly larvae (or a crazy Minnesota Vikings fan).

The house spider one is just plain scary.

Presidential Debate Round Two

Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner famously said, "We don't have a plan. We just don't like yours." That single sentiment seems to encapsulate the entire Obama Campaign strategy. That's the sort of strategy you run when you don't have any ideas of your own and your record isn't exactly something to be proud of.

Mitt Romney wants to make the US more competitive for companies by lowering the corporate tax rate. President Obama says he too wants to lower the corporate tax rate to which the natural follow up question becomes, "Well why haven't you done that already?"

Mitt Romney says he wants cut tax rates by 20% across the board while at the same time eliminating or reducing some deductions. The reduction in revenue would be paid for with the elimination of these deductions (capping deductions at $25,000 would be a place to start) and through growth in the economy. President Obama says the math doesn't add up because he never counts the growth in the economy - almost like he doesn't believe in it.

Mitt Romney says he believes in something called "self-deportation" which at first blush seems ridiculous. But when you think of it illegal immigrants come to this country because it is the land of opportunity. If state benefits like healthcare, welfare or in-state tuition are denied and if employer e-verification was enforced then the illegal immigrant would probably decide to go back home or to get a green card. The question last night was asked to paint Mitt Romney as a person Latinos should be afraid of but instead Romney turned it around. He asked why the President did not keep his promise to enact comprehensive immigration reform his first year in office. That was something he pledged to do and has no excuse for not doing.

The people out of a job know the President's job policies haven't worked. The people paying double at the pump for gas know his energy policies haven't worked. Middle class families who have seen their disposable income shrink by an average of $4300 while facing rising costs everywhere know Obama hasn't been good for them.The people paying attention know that the President blamed the deaths in Benghazi on a YouTube video for two weeks before coming clean to the American people. The failures of this Presidency are staring everyone right in the face.

Last night Mitt Romney was asked to describe how he isn't like George W. Bush. It was unfair that the natural follow-up question of the President explaining why he isn't like Jimmy Carter never got asked.

Why You Should Vote for Mitt Romney

Perhaps the best argument I have seen for why Mitt Romney should be the next President comes from of all places - the New York Observer.

Read the whole thing. I'm note in advance that The New York Observer endorsed Barack Obama in 2008.

Ryan's Debate Strategy

Interesting look at how Paul Ryan prepared for his debate against VP Joe Biden.

Luck favors the prepared mind and I must say that Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan are really doing a great job both in preparation and in taking care of the little details. That bodes well for their campaign which in turn bodes well for the country.

Flotsam and Jetsam

Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.

 The Patriots are now 3-3 but easily could be 6-0. No team wants to play the Patriots come playoff time. I wish certain fans and talking heads would take a deep breath and shut up... Awesome Live Jump photo... If the Geico commercial that has Gallagher smashing watermelons ended with Gallagher getting shot by a sniper - I'd consider switching insurance companies... I saw a study that said bacon was the best cure for a hangover. I felt like the study validated my whole existence... Most Red Sox fans I know root for Derek Jeter. The most common adjective used to describe him is "classy"... Arlen Specter has died and he took the secret of where Jimmy Hoffa is buried with him to the grave... I think iit would be funny to redo the movie theater scene from Cape Fear with a laughing Joe Biden playing the Robert DeNiro role and Paul Ryan as the Nick Nolte character... Unbelievable tweet of the day:

@realdonaldtrump: Derek Jeter had a great career until 3 days ago when he sold his apt at Trump World Tower - karma?

Chuck Yeager and the Sound Barrier

65-years ago today Chuck Yeager broke the sound barrier for the first time. The movie The Right Stuff captured the essence of the moment.

Starry Night With Real Stars

Van Gogh's Starry Night reproduced using images from the Hubble Telescope.

Very cool!

Flotsam and Jetsam

Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.

With the Yankees and their fans becoming completely disenchanted with Alex Rodriguez it seems the unthinkable may become thinkable. Could the Yankees start the 2013 season without A-Rod? If so - who would they get to replace him? How about this scenario - Kevin Youkilis in pinstripes? Stranger things have happened... Never thoughts I'd be saying this (especially not this year) but the fact is UMass may actually have a better football program than Boston College at this point. Seriously.... Agent Coulson resurrected for Josh Whedon's ABC SHIELD TV show... I can't explain it but the name "Carl" Ripken  really amuses me. Thanks for the laugh inept TBS personnel... I hate when I hear a cell phone ring on TV because it almost always has the same ring as my phone. Makes me feel like a dope when I realize it was just the TV... Block Me Amedaeus would be a good name for a fantasy football team... Did Bobby Valentine just validate the idea he's a complete phony?... All you need to know about men is the fact they all understand what a DD bra size means but they can't tell you anything about dress sizes... Just a reminder to everyone who watched the VP debate this week. Joe Biden was added to the ticket by Obama to add "gravitas"...

Hezbollah's CFO Flees to Israel

Hezbollah (the Party of God) CFO flees to Israel with $5 million and classified documents.

I know that this could be big news but a few things amused me about the story. First - I like to go out of my way to mention that Hezbollah means "Party of God" because I think in doing so it makes it easier to get liberals to hate them. This probably explains why you never see any MSM story on Hezbollah mention it.

Secondly - I know the Israelis probably care more about the documents than about the $5 million the CFO stole but I can't help but imagine some Hezbollah stooges cursing the CFO for stealing the payroll money.

What Happened at Benghazi

Powerline has a very graphic description of the attack on our people in Benghazi. Must reading!

I can't help but read the description of what happened that night without wondering what a huge difference a contingent of heavily armed Marines would have made.

EDIT: The Weekly Standard has a piece on the timeline of the Administration's storytelling. The actions of the Administration have been heinous - yet not a single person is going to be held accountable. Disgusting.

Flotsam and Jetsam

Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.

CC Sabathia's real name is Carsten Charles Sabathia... Who said it - Joe Biden or Michael Scott?... Have to wonder if the Nobel committee chose to give the Nobel Prize to the EU in an effort not to pay the prize money (who would collect?)... Very cool betting story. The moral as always - be sure to quit when you are ahead!... Talk about making chicken salad out of you know what. It should be remembered that Dan Duquette only got the Orioles GM job because other candidates thought the position was too radioactive. Now Duquette has re-established himself as a top GM in the game. Good for him!... Cool - a diamond bigger than the Earth?... Hate to think that this may be it for Scott Rolen. Sad to see him go out on such a sour note... SNL should do skit about ESPN peon that is sent to tell Bobby Knight that the network no longer wants to use him on TV... For proper elocution a person must have consistent vowel movements... I'm a Red Sox fan but part of me wants to see the Yankees win this series just so I can hear all the people arguing that Alex Rodriguez should be left off the 25-man roster against the Tigers. That would be delicious...

Thomas Peterffy - Freedom To Succeed

I agree with those who say this is perhaps the best video of the campaign season.

In last night's VP debate Joe Biden said a couple of times that 97% of the small businessmen in this country make less than $250,000. He said it as if it was a good thing! We need leadership that wants people to succeed so that more small business people are making more than $250,000 because the more those business people make the more they will need to hire people. It is common sense.

VP Debate Thoughts

If you are going to vote for President Obama - last night you thought VP Joe Biden won the debate. You were glad to see feisty Biden sticking up for the Administration showing the passion and saying the things you wanted the President to say. If you are going to vote for Romney - you thought Ryan won going away. You thought Ryan was classy and informed and you thought of the two men on the stage only Ryan seemed ready to be a heartbeat away from the Presidency.

The big question is how the independents and undecided voters saw the debates. My guess is Joe Biden didn't do the Administration any favors with his mannerisms. His laughing, his interruptions, his hand gestures just seemed rude. I also think his comments about Benghazi and the murder of Ambassador Stevens will be the one issue that gets extra scrutiny by the media.

Every debate there seems to be one thing that you wished your guy said. Last night Joe Biden kept on harping on "tax cuts for the rich" - calling supporting such a position "unconscionable". I wish Paul Ryan said something along the lines of, "Mr. Vice President - you say that supporting extending he Bush Tax cuts for those making over $250,000 is unconscionable yet that's exactly what the Obama Administration along with the Democratic House and Senate did in 2009. If you found it unconscionable then when did you stay silent? You didn't say a peep. Fact is at the time in 2009 the President extended the tax cuts because you just don't raise taxes in a recession. Everyone agrees on that. Fact is you only find it unconscionable today because you think you can use it as a wedge issue. You can't run on your record so you want to divide Americans based upon the size of their wallets no matter what the consequences to the economy. That sir is what is unconscionable."

Let me also say that the people who thought Joe Biden won the debate will push the President to act the same way in the next debate. I already predicted this will happen. And I also predicted that this would be a huge mistake for the President.

Red Sox 2013 Roster

Red Sox have a big off-season facing them. Here's my position by position breakdown of what I'd suggest GM Ben Cherington should do regarding the every day players. In another post I'll make my suggestions regarding the pitching staff.

C - the Red Sox for better or worse are set with Jarrod Saltalamacchia and Ryan Lavarnway. Everyone hopes to get much more offense out of this duo than we saw in 2012. Even though Salty hit 25 HR - his overall batting performance leaves room for much improvement. Many are hoping that Lavarnway gets close to his minor league batting performance so that he can be the catcher of the future (say 2014).

1B - My preference for first base next year would be for the Red Sox to trade for Victor Martinez. I'm guessing that Detroit would be happy to shed the final two years of Victor's contract ($13 million in 2013 and $12 million in 2014) - so he would cost much in terms of prospects. Martinez has shown he can thrive in Boston both on the field (.322 career batting average at Fenway) and off (media favorite). He'd also be both a big clubhouse presence with the stature to stand up to anyone and also would be insurance at the catcher position if either Salty or Lavarnway have issues.

2B - Dustin Pedroia

SS - This is a weak spot for the Red Sox. What I'd suggest to turn this into a strength is to trade fan pariah John Lackey to Texas for Elvis Andrus. Jon Heyman has reported that the Rangers have no plans to trade Andrus this winter which normally would mean Andrus should have his bags packed. Andrus has two years left on his contract for a reasonable $11 million but the problem is in Texas he's blocking super prospect Jurikson Profar. I'd even throw in Jose Iglesias to make this deal happen.

3B - Will Middlebrooks

LF - The first item of business for Ben Cherington should be wrapping up Cody Ross on a multi-year deal (say 3-years $18 million). I say first item of business because with Ross in the fold then that gives them a little more leverage over David Ortiz as Ross could be made DH. Ortiz should be the second item of business. I will admit that Ross's home / road splits this season concerns me (.921 OPS at Fenway but just .684 OPS on road in 2012).

CF - Let Jacoby Ellsbury play the year and go to free agency. Guessing he will have a big year and be overpaid by someone else. All that is important is that he has a big 2013 first.

RF - Another problem spot for the Red Sox. Do the Sox go with existing options Ryan Kalish or maybe Che-Hsuan Lin? Or do they go for an outside option. Supposedly the Indians would be open to trading Shin-Soo Choo. That would be perfect. I'd even more in favor of giving Choo a long term deal than I would be for extending Ellsbury.

DH - David Ortiz. Just give the man a 2-year $22 million deal with some incentives for Ortiz to up the possible value of the contract.

If the Red Sox were to make these suggested moves they would field very formidable team in 2012. So llet it be written - so let it be done!

My Name's Joe Biden!

 Meanwhile back at the Campaign planning headquarters.

Flotsam and Jetsam

Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.

I could swear that I've seen that Big Bird as evil business mastermind ad before - complete with Big Bird shadow in business high-rise. Could the ad have been plagiarized?... Space X Dragon captured by ISS...  Would love to see an episode of Louie where Louis CK goes for a picnic with his kids and runs into the missing Russian from The Sopranos... Have to admit - Mister Romney's Neighborhood was pretty funny... A very under-rated invention of the last 100-years was the adoption of headlights on cars. Seems common sense today but for a long time cars did not have them... Pretty cool story of turning a $1 bet into $101,000 (even though guy was betting on soccer)...

A Bad Lip-Reading of the First Debate

Einstein and the Nobel Prize

Interesting look at why Albert Einstein never received the Nobel Prize for his theory of relativity.

E=MC2 may be the most famous scientific equation in history but it was never quite good enough for the Nobel committee. The committee eventually gave Einstein the Nobel in 1921 for his 1905 explanation of the photoelectric effect but that was really too little too late.

Flotsam and Jetsam

Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.

Breaking - President Obama blames Mitt Romney wanting to kill Big Bird on YouTube video... These surprise military family reunions never fail to get me... Things you never notice and once pointed out can never forget - the nursery rhyme never actually say Humpty Dumpty is an egg... Las Vegas Review-Journal endorses Mitt Romney. Nevada is a key swing state. This is big... Rich Eisen of the NFL Network is promoting changing Matt Ryan's nickname from "Matty Ice" to "the Mattural". I am promoting changing Peyton Manning's nickname to "Horseface".... In 1900 a steak dinner cost $.25 - today a bag of potato chips costs at least double that... A little science humor - the Higgs Bison... Just a reminder but Jets coach Rex Ryan needs to go 7-9 this season just to equal Herm Edwards record in New York. I don't think he'll do it.

Battle of the Network Stars

Hard for people who did not grow up in the 70's to understand just how popular the Battle of the Network Stars was. Mental Floss has a nice recap of the "games".

I will also say that Gabe Kaplan beating Robert Conrad in the 100 meter dash "race-off" was one of my favorite moments. Kaplan was a good athlete (very good pick-up basketball player) and he didn't hesitate to accept the challenge from Robert Conrad (who if you watch the clip was sneaking puffs from a butt just prior to the race - it was a different time them).

Presidential Debate Notes

Very interesting contrast between the notes each candidate wrote for themselves during Wednesday's debate.

Mitt Romney's notes.

President Obama's notes.

Explains a lot.

Flotsam and Jetsam

Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.

Just saying but on day when Tom O'Brien leads NC State to a huge upset over Florida State - Boston College loses to Army. BC should have paid the man when they had the chance... The Princess Bride cast reunites for 25th year anniversary of movie's release...  I know Notre Dame won big against Miami but I still hope they drop in the polls just as retribution for those awful helmets they wore last night...  I love Terry Francona and him taking Indians job shows he'd rather be Teddy Roosevelt's "man in the arena" than a critic on the sidelines at ESPN. Good for him!... It will be very interesting to follow this story. Phil Ivey wins 7.3 million British pounds over 2-nights but casino is refusing to pay... Pop-tarts are a gateway food to diabetes... History nuggets: When Admiral Dewey destroyed the Spanish fleet in Manilla in 1898 - he only lost 1 US sailor. To heat-stroke... Apple was just 90-days away from bankruptcy when Steve Jobs returned to company he helped found. When you think of it that way - the story of what Jobs did with Apple is even more incredible...  Terry Francona returns to Fenway Park as the manager of the Indians on May 23rd... Remember Halloween shoppers - Elmo died for your sins... People claim that Barack Obama is not bipartisan but I think him creating jobs only in states with Republican governors disproves that... Always wondered if Pink Floyd song One of These Days was influenced by the theme to Dr. Who or vice versa... I wonder if Curt Schilling is going to try to replace Mark Grace as TV analyst on Diamondbacks games. I'm guessing Schilling could use the money and he was a World Series hero for Arizona... Seriously - do Democrats think David Axelrod is helpful? I can't see him convincing undecided voters of anything except possibly the fact that Axelrod looks like an unsuccessful child molester...

Player Comparison

Here's a player comparison I was curious about.

Player A: .254 BA/ .337 OBP/ .486 SLG/ .823 OPS/ 111 OPS+
Player B: .303 BA/ .401 OBP/ .529 SLG/ .930 OPS/ 141 OPS+

How about career totals?

Player A: 1204 R/ 434 HR/ 1289 RBI/ 3690 TB
Player B: 1619 R/ 468 HR/ 1623 RBI/ 4755 TB

Obviously Player B was the better hitter but Player A was a 10-time Gold Glove Player. Player B is Chipper Jones who will be elected into the Hall of Fame on the first ballot while Player A is Andruw Jones who will probably receive the Dwight Evans treatment from Hall voters.

Mugged

Just finished Ann Coulter's Mugged: Racial Demagoguery from the Seventies to Obamaand I thought I share my impression of the book.

First let me say that I did learn a bunch from reading the book. I am painfully aware that most Americans are historically illiterate. Sad but true. But though Ann Coulter does expose some very interesting history she does tend to stretch things a little too far. For example - I'm pretty sure that Sam Ervin's motivation during the Watergate hearings was not to get back at Richard Nixon because Nixon was pro civil rights and Ervin was a segregationalist. I am also pretty sure that the "ferocious opposition to gay marriage" in the black community today is not rooted in subconscious rebellion against Great Society policies that resulted in an explosion of unwed single mothers among blacks.

I am in complete agreement that liberal policies have in the whole done more harm than good but what troubled me about the book is that Coulter almost seems to dismiss the existence of racism in US society. I know she would probably say that the book was about liberal policies not about racism but when you write things like, "By 1930 there were more child pornographers in the country than racists" - you are diminishing my ability to take what you write serious.

If I were the editor of this book I probably would have suggested the following changes:

- Delete any comparisons of liberals or racists to Nazis. Not helpful.
- If you are going to mention failed liberal policies and unintended consequences on race in this country there should be at least a whole chapter on HUD and the failures of urban planning.
- Ann needs a thesaurus so she doesn't have to keep writing "mau-maued" all the time. Bully, cow, hector, strong-arm - see plenty of other words that can be used.
- Ann was born in New York City and the book is VERY NYC centric. That could be a problem for some after a while.

Blog Updated

Finally had to update the blog to a new style. The last one was good for close to 8 years but when Halo turned off their comments widget on October 1st - it kind of forced my hand.

The update kept the old posts but gone are my cumulative stats (over 1.3 million page views) and my blogroll. I'm not in this for the stats - so that's not a big deal to me but I am sad about the blogroll. So far I have only one blog in the blogroll but my plan is to add one each day to get it back to its old robust self. Keep an eye out and if I forget to add your blog please drop me a reminder and I'll remedy the situation.

Hope you like the new look.

Linky Links

Stuff I found interesting and thought I'd share.

- How Romney prepared for the debate. Basically - hard work and smarts.

- I laughed way too much at this. I'd love to have that made into a tapestry.

- US coal stocks jump on Romney's coal comments. This is bound to help in in Pennsylvania coal country.

- I will never look at that iconic Victory over Japan Day (VJ Day) photo the same again.

- FatHead now selling full size Mitt Romney wall stickers.

- Does eating celery really result in negative calories? Shorter answer "No"

Presidential Debate Thoughts

I know I am not alone in being disappointed that there wasn't any mention of "lady parts" last night. I was also a little disappointed that whenever President Obama mentioned "math" that Mitt Romney did not come back and say, "Mr. President, I am very good at math. So is my running mate Paul Ryan. If people want proof of this they can just check our college transcripts." That would have been awesome.

Many Obama supporters are comforting themselves this morning by thinking that there's no way he can do worse in the next two debates. They couldn't be more wrong. The Romney we saw last night is Romney. That's exactly who he is and we should expect similar performances in the next debates.

Obama? Many of his advisers will probably tell him he has to come out more fired up next debate. I predict that won't end well. As bad as last night was for the President - there was no "You didn't build that!" sound clip. An angry, indignant Obama will be much more likely to make such a planned comment or slip.

Real proof that Romney won last night - his Vegas odds of being elected pretty much doubled during as the debate went on. Soon Romney will be even money so get your bet in now before people realize that betting on Obama is a sucker's bet.

Photo via Mitt's Body Man.

EDIT: Almost on cue Obama Camp Promises Tougher Response to Romney in Next Debate. Remember where you heard it first - that won't end well for Obama.

Flotsam and Jetsam

Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.

Still blows my mind that Bleacher Report sold for $200 million while Newsweek sold for $1... Mitt Romney hates to lose... Holy crap! "Joe Biden" is an anagram for "I need job"... The things you learn on the Internet - fish can cough... Peyton Manning took a face from the ancient gallery and HE WALKED ON DOWN THE HALL!... Really?... I remember how angry Ronald Reagan used to get when people used to bring up old speeches he made - what? Reagan didn't get angry? Well that's probably because he believed in what he was saying and wasn't trying to run some con job to get elected... 10 Legendary Monsters of Europe (the Budweiser dragon is not one of them)... I can't tell you how amused I get by the image of Peyton Manning screaming out Doors lyrics as if he was Jim Morrison incarnate... Incredible volcanic riverscape...  Has anyone heard from Craig Kilborn lately?... If you mention the DC Sniper to most people today they will probably think you are talking about a new shooting guard for the Wizards. It was only 10 years ago but my how it has faded from the memory of most (outside of DC that is)... You know I really don't blame the US Ryder Cup team. I blame Chicago. Everything out of that town lately seems to be bad for the country.

Linky Links

Stuff I found interesting and thought I'd share.

- NFL donations favor Republicans 3-1. I wonder if you broke it down by those who are self-made millionaires versus owners who inherited wealth if it would still be about 3-1?

- I laughed way too much at this (yes sometimes I'm still a 12-year old)

- Ken Levine comments on the epic GQ oral history of Cheers. I must say that I have a much higher opinion of Shelley Long after reading that.

- Was this the worst Red Sox rotation ever? Interesting article. Scary to think that most of the pitchers who made up the potential "worst rotation ever" will be back. Are Red Sox fans delusional to think most will rebound with big years in 2013? I feel a little delusional.

- John Elway endorses Mitt Romney. This could make a difference in Colorado. Seriously.

The Eiger Sanction

Just finished The Eiger Sanction by Trevanian. I happened to pick it up at a yard sale a few days and haven enjoyed the Clint Eastwood movie - thought I'd give it a shot. It was very enjoyable and the movie was very true to the book with a few minor differences. If you like the movie - I think you'd enjoy the book.

A couple of things I found amusing. The paperback copy I picked up said it was "The Cliffhanger of the Year." The book involves mountain climbing - I wonder if this pre-snark snark was intentional. The front cover blurb from the New York Times said, "Superior suspense... plenty of action, plenty of sex." Oh you highbrow New York Times you.

What is funny is that the book was written as a spoof while the movie is played as a straight action flick. The movie would have been better if some of the inside jokes were translated to the screen.

Jacoby Ellsbury

Alex Speier has a nice look at Jacoby Ellsbury's career so far. What Alex doesn't do is suggest what the Red Sox do with their enigmatic centerfielder.

Here's what I'd do.

First thing to know is that the Red Sox have control over Jacoby Ellsbury for one more season (2013) and that Ellsbury's agent is Scott Boras. You put those two things together and it is clear that there will be no long-term deal cut this offseason. Ellsbury will use the 2013 season as proof as his worth as a free agent. I think that's great news for the Red Sox.

Let Ellsbury put up big numbers in his walk year. If he can do something like hit 25 HR while stealing 30+ bases then that will go a long way towards getting the Red Sox back to the playoffs. The season will also allow Jackie Bradley Jr. to get more minor league seasoning before a potential September call-up. Next year will go a long way to see if Bradley can succeed Ellsbury in center if Ellsbury walks or proves too expensive.

If the Red Sox are out of the playoff hunt by the trade deadline - then the Red Sox may just trade Ellsbury (you can no longer assume the Red Sox are a playoff contending team). If they are in the hunt - a healthy Ellsbury will be a powerful weapon. Either way Red Sox fans should enjoy Ellsbury wile they can because he won't be around in 2014.

The GQ Cheers Oral History

Such a great program - and such a great oral history.

Living in Massachusetts I cannot tell you the number of times I had to bring out of town guests to the Cheers bar so they could get a picture. The bar is still going strong (but a serious tourist trap - save your money just get the picture with the sign outside on the street). I may have to re-watch every episode on Netflix.

Flotsam and Jetsam

Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.

Stats show that Mike Aviles defense was just fine for the Red Sox. It was his offense that was the problem. His batting average was just .250 and his OBP was an anemic .282. You could get better defense from Jose Iglesias if you are willing to live with the 76 OPS+ that Aviles put up... If ESPN still did that "You got jacked up" segment then Vince Wilfork's hit against Buffalo would be shown 17 times straight. As Tom Curran pointed out - I think that's the last time you see any team try a middle screen against the Patriots this season.. If there was a Church of Bacon I'd be a parishioner - maybe even a priest... I think it would be funny to see a re-make of the musical Paint Your Wagon made with just on-air personalities from the NFL Network. Rich Eisen can play the Lee Marvin role... I have to think this is the end of the road for Jason Giambi. Not a Hall of Famer but considering he's made over $131 million in salary in baseball - I don't think we'll see him panhandling any time soon... I have to agree with this cartoon...

Ken Levine Remember the Night Cheers First Aired

Ken Levine reminisces about the night Cheers first aired - 30-years ago today.

Ken and his writing partner were responsible of 40 Cheers scrips over a 9-year period. You really should bookmark his blog or follow him on Twitter.

Daisuke Matsuzaka

Tim Britton has a piece on Daisuke Matsuzaka and how Dice-K's next start will not only be the last for the 2012 season but also his last in a Boston uniform.

One thing that Tim doesn't point out is that Dice-K has actually been better away from Fenway in his MLB career (4.76 ERA in 57 Fenway starts vs 4.19 ERA in 58 career road starts). I think Dice-K, if healthy,  could be a very nice pickup for another team. Many teams would be happy will a third or fourth starter posting a 4.19 ERA. And if Dice-K winds up with an NL team - then it is not too unrealistic to see that ERA in the 3.50 range.

I just wouldn't sign him to a longterm deal - just in case I'm completely wrong.

The Amateur

Just finished reading The Amateurby Edward Klein.  It was a good quick read but if you have been paying attention politically - then there were no real bombshells. The only real bombshell was former President Clinton urging his wife Hillary to run against Barack Obama in the 2012 primaries and of him giving Obama the nickname which graces the cover of the book.

If anything - things have gotten worse for the Obama Administration since the release of the book. There's plenty in the book with Obama's issues with Israel and the Jewish vote in the US. But the book couldn't predict that the Administration would be so confused by its own stance towards Israel that senior people couldn't name the capital with the status of Jerusalem being one of the negotiating items the Administration wanted "on the table" (even though that's a complete non-starter for anyone who is even briefly acquainted with Jewish history).

Foreign policy? The book details the root issues with American involvement in Libya but how was Klein to know that just months before the election these amateur foreign policy decisions would cost a US Ambassador his life? And that the Administration would basically lie about the cause of his death?

I don't think history will be kind to Barack Obama but after reading The Amateur by Edward Klein - I am very much convinced that history will not be kind to Valerie Jarrett and Michele Obama. Just wait - stories about their meddling will start to come out in dribs and drabs and if Obama loses the election those stories will come out in a flood.

Anonymous

Recently I saw the movie Anonymous and I still find myself thinking about it days afterward. That is the mark of a good movie.

The premise of the movie is that Shakespeare did not write the plays for which he is famous but instead the real author was Edward de Vere, Earl of Oxford. The movie is in no way historically accurate when it comes to this "theory" but the movie gives enough twists and turns to make you wonder at the end if this could have happened.

If there is a criticism to the movie I'd say that at the beginning the movie jumps around from time and place too much. It is confusing but maybe that was the idea. Get the viewer a bit disoriented so that the later twists and turns are more acceptable to the mind that just settled who is where and who is what. (I know that's confusing but trust me the movie does that to the viewer.) Also at the end we watch a theater crowd exiting the theater. Too slow.

If you like Shakespeare (which I do) and like movies that you have to think to follow - then Anonymous is worth the two hours.

Grant Desme: From Prospect to Priest

Fascinating story by Jeff Passan on Grant Desme who went from being one of the Oakland A's top prospects to being a monk and priest in training.

The guy gave it all up - even his name. He's now called Frater Matthew.

Fascinating story. I hope he finds peace.

Keith Foulke

Gordon Edes has a very nice column catching up with 2004 playoff hero Keith Foulke. Many Red Sox fans feel that Foulke was the real playoff MVP in 2004 though those official honors went to Manny Ramirez and David Ortiz.

One follow up question I wish Edes had asked though is if Foulke would have had the knee surgery in Spring training of 2005 if Doctor Bill Morgan were still the Red Sox medical director instead of Dr. Gill who Foulke did not listen to. I have long felt that this change in team doctors (which was done primarily because of marketing considerations) hasn't been an under-reported issue affecting on the field performance. Every year since the change was made it seems the Red Sox lose key players because of un-diagnosed or misdiagnosed ailments.

New Hobby

I've decided that my new hobby is going to local music open mic nights and singing O Canada acapella.

New real reason for this. Just my own private amusement.

Flotsam and Jetsam

Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.

I missed South Park last night but I understand they were brutal to Tom Brady. I'll have to watch it!... One of my favorite quotes is Ronald Reagan asking, "How do you insult a pig by calling it a pig?" It is so straightforward but at the same time can be used in so many situations... What an awesome correction... Good advice - never turn your back on a unicorn. Those bastards will stab you in the back as soon as they see you aren't looking... Every time I see a sign for the new JK Rowling book the Casual Vacancy - I think the sign says Carnal Vacancy. I'm guessing that porn version of the book has already been written by some fan fiction writer... The best praying mantis photo you may ever see... Supposedly France will be banning the words "mother" and "father" from all official documents. Remember the Coneheads were from France and they only used the term "parental units". I think France should go with that term...

Flotsam and Jetsam

Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.

I watched the first half of last night's game at one bar and the second half of the game at another. The one thing the patrons at each place had in common was the opinion that the replacement refs in the Patriots / Ravens game were awful... So let me get this straight - Elizabeth Warren is technically only an Indian and a licensed lawyer in her own mind. Well OK then... Did blowing into Nintendo cartridges actually help? I admit to blowing on the connectors. I think it helped no matter what studies say... Ronald Reagan thought that unemployment was a major problem in 1976 when 7.5 million Americans were out of a job. You have to wonder what he'd say today when that number is at 23 million (and growing)... The son of the most interesting man in the world... If I'm ever in a relationship with a woman who keeps Moet et Chandon in a cabinet - I'm pretty sure I'm going to bail. Thanks Queen's Lyrics for the dating advice... Awesome photo of the space shuttle Endeavor.. The Jetsons was set in 2062. I don't think we should have to wait that long for flying cars or robot maids... If I had unlimited cash - I'd buy the Atlanta Braves just so I could rename Turner Field to Hank Aaron Field. That's a wrong that's been waiting to be righted for too long... Mitt Romney made less money last year than Jon Stewart but the Daily Show will keep poking fun at Romney as the rich guy...

End the ATF

The ATF (technically the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives) has changed its name to the Violent Crime Bureau.

I have to laugh at this. Who does the ATF think it is? A spin-off of the Law and Order TV franchise?

If I were President one of the first things I'd do is dismantle the ATF. Every President seems to have a scandal originating from the ATF (Waco, Ruby Ridge, Fast and Furious, etc.). Nothing but bad news. Offer any ATF employee within 5-years of retirement a package. Let all qualified field agents go to work at the FBI. Give the rest of the ATF employees 4 weeks severance. Done. No more ATF. No more need for a name change.

Who would complain about doing this? Who out there is pro-ATF?

Thomas Jefferson Quote

Thomas Jefferson said, "The American people won't make a mistake if they are given all the facts."

I have a feeling that some author is going to use that quote as the foundation for a book about the 2008 election. The American people were not given all the facts by the media and many people feel that a mistake was made.

West Wing Reunion

I don't live in Michigan but if I did I'd vote for Mary McCormack's sister just on the basis of this video.

Linky Links

Stuff I found interesting and thought I'd share.

- Happy birthday funnyman. Bill Murray turns 62 and here's 62 reasons he's complete awesomesause.

- Holy crap! I thought this was something from The Onion - the Effect of Country Music on Suicide. The more airtime devoted to country music - the greater the suicide rate. Effect independent of "southernness" (which I didn't even know was a word).

- Gordon Edes on the players the Red Sox either traded or let get away. He should have mentioned that the team would be managed by Terry Francona.

- The Onion pegs Bobby Valentine. If you add "he said in his head" after every Bobby V quote the spoof becomes 100% believable.

- Beatnik Slang - some are pretty clever

Flotsam and Jetsam

Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.

Is it bad that I'm a Red Sox fan and yet I want them to finish in last? I just think that would be just punishment for them for the way they treated Terry Francona on his way out and also a reminder to ownership what happens when you let Larry Lucchino meddle with baseball operations... Just something magical about this picture... One thing I'd like to see is Rob Gronkowski running with the ball out of the backfield like the Patriots sometimes do with Aaron Hernandez. I think Gronk would be Larry Czonka like as a running back... I renamed one of my fantasy football teams The Shirtless Tebows... If Mitt Romney came to the first debate without wearing a tie - that's what all the media organizations would lede with. No matter the substance of what Mitt had to say. Barack Obama could say he plans to bomb Israel in his second term but if Mitt wasn't wearing a tie - that would be the story.

A Moveable Feast

I just recently finished re-reading Ernest Hemingway's A Moveable Feast. I've always found it to be my favorite work by Hemingway. I think that is because the book is both historical and biographical and I tend to favor works on history and biographies in my reading habits.

The book's unsung hero is Ezra Pound. The book's villain is Zelda Fitzgerald and the book's fool is F. Scott Fitzgerald who Hemingway paints as an alcoholic buffoon with wasted talent. Hemingway's kind sentiments towards Pound are interesting given Pound's political leanings around WWII. I feel guilty that I've never even once felt the urge to pick up and read anything by Pound. I also feel guilty because each time I read A Moveable Feast and Hemingway sings the praises of the book Out of Africa I say to myself that I will read that book!  But I never have.

Hemingway wrote the book three decades removed from the Paris of the 1920's. In the book Hemingway makes clear that he disagreed with the idea of a "Lost Generation". I tend to agree with Hemingway. It would be one thing if the label of a "Lost Generation" was referring to a generation wiped out by war but the label was a slight originating from Gertrude Stein referring to a generation without direction. A generation adrift. I'm of a mind that generally every generation looks at the generation that comes after it as being adrift and without the same sense of purpose that they themselves possessed. The Great Depression generation probably thought the generation that followed them was a Lost Generation - even though that generation would later be given the moniker of the Greatest Generation.

Youth is wasted on the young. The saying has been true since the days of the Ancient Greeks and it is true today. I guess one of the reasons I keep coming back to A Moveable Feast is because the book allows you to get a feeling of what it was like to be young in the Paris of the 1920's. And that's a good thing.

Flotsam and Jetsam

Miscellaneous thoughts and observations. This is fantastic. What makes it great is the fact that you could totally picture Jay Cutler bumming around with a butt hanging out of his mouth... On a related note - I would pay to see a re-make of the movie Barfly if it had Jay Cutler playing the Mickey Roarke role... What's the difference between nude and naked?... Stories about Mitt Romney's kindness and generosity have been popping up here and there in the media. How come we never hear from people Barack Obama helped when he was a community organizer? Where are those stories?... Bobby Valentine is just 16-20 in one run games and a miserable 2-8 in extra innings. If he was halfway competent he'd be back next year but he's not so it will be adios to Sideshow Bobby Valentine... If low calorie beer was called "skim beer" instead of "light beer" - I don't think it would be quite so popular... Heh heh - Tony Stewart - sneaky ass-grabber...

Heh Heh

What if Hemingway was Typecast?

Ernest Hemingway wrote a lot of stories about horse racing and during his early years in Paris much of his time was spent at race tracks or studying the racing forum looking for a good horse to bet. This side of Hemingway is not widely known mainly because almost all of his stories about horse racing were lost when his wife Hadley had a briefcase full of Hemingway's original works along with the carbon copies stolen off a train.

I keep wondering what would have happened if those stories had not been lost to history. Would Hemingway the writer have turned out very different?

Imagine if some of those horse racing stories were published and they were met with some acclaim. Would Hemingway have been known as the renown horse racing writer?  If Hemingway branched out to other subjects would the critics have told him to stick to horse racing? "Hemingway writes about an old fisherman struggling to land a giant marlin and the story is surprisingly well told coming from a writer who normally covers steeple chase."

My mind works differently than most people.

Flotsam and Jetsam

Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.

Last week Red Sox manager Bobby Valentine said that Kevin Youkilis was hitting the same for the White Sox as he was hitting for the Red Sox. He said this out of the blue as if to explain that Valentine wasn't the problem with Youkilis' early season batting woes. The problem is Youkilis is not hitting the same for the White Sox as he was hitting for the Red Sox. His OBP is almost 50 points higher and his OPS is 140 points better. Valentine's failure to grasp this simple fact is a huge red flag regarding his ability to manage in the major leagues today... Interesting read on the role of Wes Welker with the Patriots... Just a reminder but Art Modell was so popular in Cleveland in the late 70's that the Republican Party wanted to run his for Governor... Am I bad person because I thought this was really funny? The Cheers opening turned into Jihad.... I am still coming to grips with the Patriots losing to Arizona on Sunday. Did that really happen?... More awesome photos from the Hubble space telescope...

Mitt Romney's "Secret Video"

Mother Jones has what they are calling a "Secret Video" of Mitt Romney speaking freely at a fund-raiser. They seem to think this is somehow some sort of blockbuster, game-changer. I don't see what the big deal is. Yes - people who are getting government benefits and union workers are going to be overwhelmingly for Obama. Yes - bogging down people with wonkish details of policy plans is boring and will turn off many people. This is common sense stuff - not game over revelations. Yeesh!

As an aside - I uncovered a secret video of my own. Here is an Obama supported spelling out what she expects from a second Obama term.

Mitt Romney's Acts of Kindness

These are four pretty powerful stories. I don't listen to Glenn Beck much but kudos to him for having these people on his show.

As an aside - I did a quick calculation and Mitt Romney's donation to the veteran's homeless shelter probably cost him around $200,000 over two years. A donation he made anonymously because he just felt it was the right thing to do.

Inspiring.

9/11

A little late in the day for 9/11 related items but here are two perspectives that were new to me and which helped me think about that terrible day a little differently.

- Second grade soldier.

- 9/11 from the International Space Station.

11 years later and strangers still share stories of where they were when the towers were hit. The scar has not healed.

Happy NFL Opening Day

I need a prescription!

And a Patriots victory!

Flotsam and Jetsam

Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.

The following sentence does a good job summarizing the Boston Red Sox' 2012 season: In the first week of September the Red Sox and the Kansas City Royals have almost the exact same record... Heh heh - this took me a minute... Josh Beckett has been decent for the Dodgers since the big trade from Boston. He's averaged better than 6 inning per start with a 3.86 ERA in his first 3 games for LA... Is High Fructose Tampons a good name for fantasy football team?... Winston Churchill once said, "To do justice to a great man, discriminating criticism is always necessary." If he was alive today and he criticized Barack Obama - he'd just be called discriminating... Adrian Gonzalez hit a HR for the Dodgers in his first game but none in the 12 games since. His OPS in LA is a miserable .663... This picture always makes my day... "Kevin Youkilis THE MUSICAL" would make a great off-Broadway show. Tell me you wouldn't buy a ticket to that!

What People are Missing About the Bobby Valentine Hiring

I saw what the Bobby Valentine hiring by the Red Sox was from the very start. It was not a bad hire at all as some pundits and personalities now claim. Bobby Valentine has completely succeeded for the purpose for which he was hired.

Let me explain. But first let me get a little geeky.

In the book (and movie) Dune - Baron Harkonnen first sends his nephew the Beast Rabban in to rule the desert planet Arrakis after the defeat and overthrow of the popular Duke Leto Atreides. However, Baron Harkonnen's real goal is to have Rabban crush the will of the people on Arrakis so that when he has his favorite nephew - Feyd-Rautha (played by Sting in the first Dune movie) replace Rabban - Feyd-Rautha will be hailed as a savior.

In the Red Sox example - Bobby Valentine is the Beast Rabban.

If you recall - originally the new Red Sox ownership had planned to make Billy Beane their GM in charge of baseball operations. There is no way that Beane would have tolerated any interference in baseball operations by Larry Lucchino. But at the last minute Beane turned the Sox down and Theo Epstein became GM. Now Theo had no choice but to tolerate interference from Lucchino and his minions because Epstein held much less power in the organization and because Lucchino was his "mentor".

I am convinced that it was the interference of Lucchino and his ilk that undermined Terry Francona and cost him his job and who also eventually caused Their to cry "enough!" and ask for exile to the Cubs.

Red Sox principal owner John Henry is no dummy (you don't get to be a billionaire by being stupid). He knew what was happening but what to do about it? Simple - you give Lucchino enough rope to hang himself. You let Lucchino hand-pick Bobby Valentine as the new manager but you saddle Valentine with enough handicaps that failure is all-but guaranteed. Don't let Valentine pick his own coaches and give him a contract that emphasizes Bobby V's weak position to anyone paying attention.

With the failure almost complete - John Henry can turn to Lucchino and order no more interference in baseball operations and then bring in a likable manager like John Farrell or DeMarco Hale (who will look like Sting compared to Valentine's Sideshow Bob act). The new manager also doesn't have to bear the burden of being compared to the well-loved Terry Francona. They just have to be better than the comical Bobby Valentine.

Just as it was planned.

Mitt Romney and the 2002 Olympics

Caleb Whitmer has a nice article on Mitt Romney's leadership at the 2002 Salt Lake Olympics. I had not heard of this anecdote about Bonnie Blair before but it is very telling of the quality of Mitt's character:

Gillespie said the 2002 games were not only revealing of Romney’s character as a leader but as a good man. She told me a revealing story: Flying a plane to the United States in 2002, Romney and an IOC official argued over who would carry the Olympic flame onto American soil: Romney or six-time gold medalist Bonnie Blair.
Traditionally, the CEO of the current Olympic Planning Committee was supposed to have the honors, but Romney wanted Blair to do it. The relay was supposed to be about heroes, and Romney wanted Blair and her mother to be the first off the plane carrying the torch, with Romney walking behind them. But the IOC member wouldn’t budge and after arguing for a while, Gillespie, who was on the plane as well, recalls that Romney abruptly ended the conversation, saying, “Okay, fine,” and walked away.
The plane landed at the airport and the group positioned itself near the plane doors, as photographers and the press waited for them on the tarmac.
“There’s Mitt holding the little lantern with Bonnie and her mom behind him and the doors open, and, as those doors open, he steps back to the side and hands Bonnie the lantern, pushes them out in front of him, and they went down the stairs.”

Romney the New Eisenhower?

The quip from President Barack Obama that Mitt Romney's speech at the RNC could have been in black and white on a TV with rabbit ears made me wonder if Obama was somehow thinking about this quote from President Eisenhower:

"All middle-class citizens of education have a common belief that the tendencies toward centralization and paternalism must be halted and reversed," Dwight Eisenhower July 1949

The quote certainly fits today's situation pretty much to a tee. I'm guessing that if Eisenhower's remarks were broadcast that it would have been in black and white.

Mark Knopfler - What It Is

Mark Knopfler - What It Is. A vastly under-rated and underplayed song.

Linky Links

Stuff I found interesting and thought I'd share.

Jerry Seinfeld's Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee - Bob Einstein episode

Official Trailer for animated Graham Chapman biopic A Liar's Autobiography. I'm a sucker for anything Monty Python related.

The certainly has been a lot of turn-over in the Red Sox roster since opening day.

Excellent shot-by-shot review of the chase scene in The Dark Knight. That scene has always bugged me - now I know why.

The free agent market for Josh Hamilton may not be as big as he thinks. I wouldn't be surprised if Texas was the only real bidder.

Mad Men Perform Rick Astley's Never Gonna Give You Up

Clearly the greatest thing on the Internets today. Wicked awesome!

Flotsam and Jetsam

Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.

I've said it before but if the Israelis were to bomb Iran's nuclear facilities - during or right before President Obama's speech at the DNC would be the perfect time... Good advice for poker players - how to play Ace/King if you miss the flop... I have to guess that the TV ratings on NESN for this West Coast swing by the Red Sox will be the worst since the new ownership bought the team. There is simply no reason to watch this lousy team full of malcontents... Some people poke fun of the US Coast Guard and others always seem to forget them when it comes to thinking of branches of the US military. I have to wonder though - if you took the Coast Guard on its own - I'm guessing it is bigger than the military's of half the nations of the world... Another example of why Johnny Carson was the King. It is sad that his memory seems to be fading... Protesters dressed as giant vaginas at the RNC. I'm guessing that if male protesters dressed as giant penises at the DNC - they'd get arrested. Seriously - Karl Rove get on this. Pay some frat guys a few hundred to dress up as giant penises (not much of a stretch for many of them) and then put out press releases about the war on men and a man's reproductive rights. So let it be written - so let it be done.

The Mormon Way of Doing Business

I recently read The Mormon Way of Doing Business: How Nine Western Boys Reached the Top of Corporate America by Jeff Benedict. The book was written in 2007 and was a discussion of the lives and habits of 9 prominent Mormon businessmen. The men discussed are David Neeleman, founder and CEO of JetBlue Airways; Kevin Rollins, former CEO of Dell; Jim Quigley, CEO of Deloitte-Touche USA; Dave Checketts, former CEO of Madison Square Garden Corporation; Gary Crittenden, CFO at American Express; Rod Hawes, founder and former CEO of Life Re Corporation; Kim Clark, former Dean of the Harvard Business School; and Clayton Christensen, leading Harvard Business professor and consultant to major corporations.

And of course Mitt Romney - founder of Bain Capital and current Republican nominee for President of the United States. The chapter for Mitt Romney was added and the book was re-issued to take advantage of the connection. You would think that the re-issue was a little cynical until it gets pointed out that Kevin Rollins, former CEO of Dell; Dave Checkett, former CEO of Madison Garden Corp.; and Gary Crittenden, CFO for American Express - all got their starts in business as consultants at Bain.

Frankly - I'm surprised that these business leaders haven't been more outspoken for Mitt Romney. Of course Staples is probably Mitt's biggest success story (outside Bain Capital itself) and make no mistake - Mitt Romney was very involved in the founding and success of Staples.

Also - here's a must see video of author Jeff Benedict discussing the book and Mitt Romney from back in April.