Flotsam and Jetsam

Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.

Attention IRS - I have decided to self-identify as a snowy owl and we all know that owls don't pay taxes. Call me Hedwig... Both interesting and a reminder of what barbarians fundamentalist Islamists can be... I don't think that probe on that comet mysteriously came back to life. I think it was just laying low until the stupid controversy over the guy's shirt died down... Interesting look at the Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT) and the lying hordes of native Hawaiians who oppose it. After reading the article and knowing some of the background I think I now fall into the anti-TMT camp... Song of the Pelican would be a good name for a band... I would guess that one of the real reasons Darrelle Revis is no longer with the Patriots is because he almost single-handedly cost New England the playoff game against the Ravens. Watch the highlights some time - Steve Smith completely undressed him... Speaking of the Jets...

Top 5 - Movie Theme Music

Here are my choices for the best movie theme music of all-time.

1. The Godfather
2. The Exorcist
3. Patton
4. Jaws
5. (tie) The Last of the Mohicans (tie) Rocky

Honorable mention to The Sting.

Other movies have had some great songs but when you hear these instrumentals - your brain automatically thinks of the movie. 

Interesting to note that all of the movies except Last of the Mohicans (1992) were from the 1970's. Also all the songs except The Exorcist (Tubular Bells) and The Sting (The Entertainer) were original scores. Do movies these days need hit songs associated with them to help increase profits and marketability? An exception to this was the Harry Potter theme music (which has a good argument to be in the Top 5). Did the folks producing Harry Potter (knowing they already had a guaranteed jackpot) feel they needed music more to suit the movie and not to suit the suits (producers and marketing folk)?

Moist

Ernest Hemingway (or Mark Twain - I forget which) once suggested that editors should replace every word "very" they come across in works they are editing with the word "Goddamn" instead to show just how useless and extraneous the word "very" is to good writing.

I had no idea there was such aversion to the word "moist" but given these facts maybe editors should use that word instead of "Goddamn". Or maybe even more fun - editors should attach the word "moist" to every seventh or random nouns (just to get a reaction from the readers).

New England moist Patriots, moist NASA lunar probes, remote moist island communities, venture capital moist investments, etc. This is kinda fun.

Flotsam and Jetsam

Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.

An interesting "what if"? In 2007 the Red Sox considered trading Jon Lester to the White Sox for Mark Buehrle. If Boston signed Buehrle long-term would they have won the World Series in either 2007 or 2013? Could they have won more?... If you think about it - shoplifting food is both hunting and gathering... Our incredible solar system 1 - view of Venus transiting in front of the Sun... Jon Lester since 2007 has been 109-70 while Mark Buehrle has gone 99-71... Bill Lear, founder of the Lear Jet Corp., named his daughter Shanda. Yup - Shanda Lear... Our incredible solar system 2 - view of Saturn eclipsing the Sun... If MSNBC ran re-runs of Seinfeld it would be their highest rated show by a wide margin... I have grey hair and self-identify as a wizard. Call me Gandalf... Since 2007 Jon Lester has made roughly $63 million while Mark Buehrle has made about $110 million. I guess the "what if" wasn't as interesting as I originally thought.

Linky Links

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

- If you've been following the news - this photo is hilarious.

- Deflating "DeflateGate" - please God let Tom Brady sue the NFL for $300 million!

- I love this guy's sense of humor

- I think this should go without saying

- Heh heh

Discworld

One of Christopher Lee's lesser known roles was as Death (with a capital D not a small d) in the Discworld BBC productions. I recently got into Terry Pratchett's Discworld series with The Color of Magic. I found the book entertaining. About half way in I began picturing the main two protagonists Rincewind and Twoflower as a sort of Hope and Crosby starring in a Monty Pythonesque On the Road in Space adventure. Late to the game with this but I imagine there will be many Discworld books involved in my summer reading.

Flotsam and Jetsam

Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.

Christopher Lee was a badass. RIP... I don't know why but lately I've developed a fondness for jelly stick donuts. I hope this phase passes soon (or I gain some level of will power)... From the owner on down - the Cleveland Indians seem like a very easy team to root for... If I had Donald Trump's money - I would buy a town in Central America and force every adult male to wear a Donald Trump wig. Not even kidding about this. I think it would make a great reality show... Every time I see Wheel of Fortune I can't help but think they should bring back the part of the game where the contestants went shopping with their winnings... The Wages of Sin Minus Taxes would be a good name for a band...

Linky Links

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

- Good on ya mate - one Australian man estimated to have saved lives of 2 million babies

- Marco Rubio's driving record? Really?

- Good list of movie oral histories.

- Interesting look at behind the scenes at Augusta. More like the Soup Nazi of golf than the North Korea of golf if you ask me.

- Heh heh. Not sure if this chart is from Audubon.

- Interesting - how do water towers work? Never considered that height was a function of water pressure.

- Be careful when donating money to charities

- This is funny because it is so true!

King Phillip's War

One of the least remembered episodes in New England's history is King Phillip's War.

The bloodiest war in America's history, on a per capita basis, took place in New England in 1675.

At the center of this cataclysm was one man, Metacom, leader of the Pokanokets, a tribe within the Wampanoag Indian Federation. At an early age, when relations between the natives and settlers were less stressed, Metacom was given the nickname of King Philip by the English, because of his haughty mannerisms. One of the many ironies of this conflict is that Philip was the son of Massasoit - the same Massasoit who had helped the Plymouth Pilgrims survive their first winter in the New World. A father's kindness would became a son's curse.

This war almost drove "white" settlers from New England but the settlers prevailed by killing scores upon scores of Indians. It is no coincidence that beyond that first Thanksgiving you never really hear about Indians in conjunction with New England history. That's because they were almost all dead.

Jack Handy - Deep Thought for the Day

Thought of the Day: Sometimes when I reflect back on all the beer I drink I feel ashamed. Then I look into the glass and think about the workers in the brewery and all of their hopes and dreams. If I didn't drink this beer, they might be out of work and their dreams would be shattered. Then I say to myself, "It is better that I drink this beer and let their dreams come true than be selfish and worry about my liver" -- Jack Handy

Otto Frederick Rohwedder

It bothers me that whenever you see a list of great Americans these lists always seem to exclude Otto Frederick Rohwedder. He's the man credited with inventing sliced bread. What's greater than sliced bread?

Linky Links

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

- Rob Gronkowski's heart really is in the right place

- A city's government losing the support of the police and fire departments is never a good sign (no pun intended)

- Good news as my prostrate maintenance regime is fully justified! Ernest Borgnine was ahead of his time!

- Interesting - how much does a cloud weigh?

- The way of the monastic warrior - lessons from Dick Winters

- Dick Van Dyke was one of the best physical comedians of all time. His grace was amazing!

- Why did people wear powdered wigs? It always comes down to syphilis and lice doesn't it?

- Story behind Bill Belichick wearing Armenian pin at White House. Good for Belichick!

- I want this print!

- MLB Players who use 80's music for their walk up songs.  I would use God Bless America by Kate Smith just to confuse the hell out of the crowd.

John Harvard, Ungutted Mackerel and Goat Dung

You may recognize the name John Harvard as belonging to the man for whom Harvard University was named. Did you know that he had no real connection to the school? He wasn't a founder, he wasn't a teacher, he wasn't even a student.

John Harvard's connection to the fledgling university in Cambridge, Mass. was via Nathaniel Eaton who was Harvard's schoolmate, friend and with whom Harvard had sailed to "the New World". John Harvard died in 1638 of tuberculosis and because he liked what his friend Eaton was doing as the first "master" of the newly formed college in Cambridge - Harvard bequeathed his library of 400 books and a pretty good sum of money. Because of the size of the gift - the good people of the Bay Colony named their university after him.

If Harvard died a year later - everything might have been different because his friend Eaton was fired.

Nathaniel Eaton was fired in 1639 in part because he was a stern taskmaster who beat his students but he was fired mostly because his wife was a lousy cook.

Like today - students paid for not just an education but also for room and board. Back then all the students and the teachers lived under the same roof and the wife of the master provided the meals. Eaton's wife was a lousy provider.

At the hearing there were allegations that Eaton's wife provided no beef and instead served ungutted mackerel (an allegation she denied) and that there was goat dung in her hasty pudding (another allegation she denied). Personally I think Eaton's wife would have been all set if she just served the students more beer (students haven't changed all that much).

So if Harvard died a year later - would he still have bequeathed the money to the college that fired his friend? Would the school have a different name today? Wouldn't "Ungutted Mackerel" be a good name for a band? Will you be able to think of Harvard's Hasty Pudding Award without thinking of the words "goat dung" from now on? Inquiring minds want to know.

D-Day

Some things to consider on this 71st anniversary of the Allied Invasion of Europe (D-Day).

- General Eisenhower's D-Day Speech

- Here's the speech Eisenhower planned to give if things went badly. He planned to take full responsibility. Thank God he never had to give that speech.

- Cool - D-Day landing scenes then and now.

And if you find yourself watching a baseball game today remember that on this day in 1944 Major League Baseball cancelled all games because they didn't think it was appropriate to be playing games while men were fighting and dying on the beaches of Normandy.

The Bubbler

Do you know what a bubbler is? If you do - there's a good chance you're from New England.

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).

I'm not sure if elementary kids in New England even know what a bubbler is anymore. I've been trying to think of the last time I saw a public drinking fountain. My health club has one but people seem to use it to fill their water bottles. Bubbler may just be one of those words that will shortly be lost to history.

Top 5 - Movies Based in Massachusetts

1. JAWS
2. Good Will Hunting
3. The Departed
4. The Thomas Crown Affair (w/ Steve McQueen)
5. The Verdict

Just missing the cut were The Paper Chase, The Boondock Saints, The Perfect Storm, The Brinks Job and The Last Hurrah. I gave no consideration whatsoever to Love Story. It will be interesting to see if Black Mass (the Whitey Bulger biopic) makes the list.

Godfather Though for the Day

Michael Corleone is often thought of as a poor husband and father. He tried to be like his father Don Vito but it just didn't work out. Sure he loved his kids but it just wasn't enough. In the end his family is a mess. 

How come Kaye never gets any of the blame for this? Seriously. 

Keep in mind that Kaye was Michael's second choice (in fact second wife). If Appolonia had lived - do you think Michael would have had so many family problems? Do you think Appolonia would have ever had an abortion? Divorced Michael? I don't think so. 

Maybe the real lesson to be learned from the Godfather trilogy is to not marry a WASP. 

Player Comparison

Here's a player comparison I've been wondering about lately:

Player A - 7 HR/ 24 RBI/ .241 BA/ .271 OBP/ .412 SLG/ .682 OPS
Player B - 5 HR/ 17 RBI/ .244 BA/ .312 OBP/ .360 SLG/ .673 OPS

Both players man the same position but Player B is making $17 million more than Player A. If you haven't figured it out Player A is Will Middlebrooks who is starting to get hot for the Padres while Player B is Pablo Sandoval who has been pretty disappointing so far for the Red Sox.

Middlebrooks probably needed a change of scenery and I wish him all the best. It's just that this comparison has been bothering me these past few days. The fact that Middlebrooks is also 7-years younger also makes this comparison a little harder to take on a full stomach (no Panda pun intended).

Linky Links

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

- 15 common expressions the younger generation will not understand

- Roger Goodell is a lying liar who lies. I still think Delfategate was made such a big deal in part to change the subject from Ray Rice.

- Really interesting story on the reporter who brought down FIFA

- 12 facts you might not have known about Einstein's Theory of Relativity (missing Einstein did not win the Nobel Prize for E=MC2 mostly because the voting members were anti-Semitic)

Where Do Lab Rats Come From?

Where do the white lab rats and mice come from? Think about it. Are they some sort of snow rodents? I don’t think so. They are probably some sort of genetic anomalies. I think scientists should have to note that fact in their findings. Instead of reading something like, “Scientists find that excessive caffeine causes cancer in lab mice” – the report should read, “Scientists find that excessive caffeine causes cancer in genetically altered rodents.” Makes a difference on your reaction doesn't it? 

Flotsam and Jetsam

Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.

Yes Caitlyn Jenner looks like Jessica Lange and yes I'd have sex with Jessica Lange. Suddenly I don't want to talk about his... In the drink V8 is one of the 8 ingredients ass? Sure tastes like ass to me... Playing off the success of Christian Mingle - I'd like to create a website Christian Divorce - "Jesus wants you to separate"... Fantastic look back at Stevie Cauthen - the last jockey to win the Triple Crown... What would I do for a Klondike Bar? I guess go to the store and pay a buck and a half. That's what I'd do for a Klondike Bar... Nick Swisher's career numbers aren't close to being Hall of Fame caliber but you know some writer will vote for him as a favor... Hillary has to be the worst possible name for a stripper...

Ghosts

I've decided that I'm not going to believe in ghosts. Why? Well the reason is pretty simple.

Every kid is taught that ghosts say "boo!" Who decided this? It's become unanimous. According to our culture and accepted norms - ghosts say "boo". But why would your spirit in death be saying something you never said in life? When was the last time you said "boo"? Were you impersonating a ghost?

The only explanation is that nobody has ever spoken with a ghost. And that must be because they don't exist. Logic.

As an aside - I think it would be funny if someone re-cut the movie Ghost so that Patrick Swayze's dialog after he dies is replaced by someone just repeating "boo!" over and over.

How History Could Have Been Different

Fidel Castro had a law degree and when he was young he joined the firm of Azpiazo, Castro and Resende. He didn't do very well in the practice. Castro was a young lawyer without any clients.

I can't help but wonder how history could have been different if only Castro had been a better lawyer. Or if he happened to get a big case or client. Would Fidel have been so hot for communism if he was sitting on a pile of money?

Linky Links

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

- 15 things about Fletch on the 30th anniversary of the movie's release.

- The statistical improbability of DeflateGate

- Thanks Obama! Swiss cheese has been losing its holes and now science knows why.

- Holy crap - has anyone seen Bill Belichick and Bill Paxton in the same room?

- The dark past of bowling hustlers.

DeflateGate

I know everyone has DeflateGate fatigue but I've been meaning to make this observation all week. I think the end result of all of this will be Tom Brady will end up suing the NFL and that lawsuit will cost Roger Goodell (an a number of other NFL front office employees) their job(s).

Why do I think this? First because of the public relations optics and secondly, and more importantly, because of the facts.

Dave Garofalo does a masterful job on the "science" of the Wells Report. The long and the short of it is at best the Patriots had 3 balls just a tick under what was allowable. At worst - the Wells Report purposefully twisted the reporting in order to get the result the NFL wanted.

And no matter what happens at Brady's appeal of his suspension - Roger Goodell has put himself (and the NFL) in a no-win situation. If Goodell takes away all 4 games - he's basically saying the NFL was wrong in the first place and lawsuit from Brady will be like shooting fish in a barrel. If he reduces it to 1,2, or 3 games he will be daring Brady to sue him. If he keeps it at 4 games - a lawsuit is guaranteed. Roger Goodell has been in over his head since he took over as commissioner. This is going to be the final nail in his coffin.

And for all of you out there who are basing your opinion on a Patriots employee calling himself the "deflator" - explain this.

Flotsam and Jetsam

Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.

Great look at how things went sour for Tom Thibodeau...  Who knew? Jacques Cousteau didn't learn to swim until he was 40-years old... Great news - study says drinking doesn't affect performance at work... Any story that begins with, "Me and this guy from Germany" immediately has got my interest... Cool - a snail drinking from a bubble... Instead of Lay's Potato Chips - I'm going to come out with Lady's Potato Chips. The only flavor will be Salt 'n Vinegar... Who knew part two? The last battle of the Civil War, the Battle of Palmito Ranch, was a Confederate victory... The real Jurassic World - this is a baby Blue Heron...

Linky Links

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

- Heh heh

- The perfect handyman's flowchart

- This is awesome!

- A List of Unusual Words

- American Presidents in uniform

- Heh heh

- Who knew? Randy Johnson and Rush's Geddy Lee are good friends

Top 5 - John Wayne Movies

Today would have been the Duke's 108th 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. Rooster Cogburn
5. (tie) The Shootist (tie) She Wore a Yellow Ribbon

Memorial Day Links

Some information posted for your consideration this Memorial Day.

-  10 Things to Remember About Memorial Day

- The story of Mitchell Paige

- Marine general speaks from the (broken) heart at Memorial's dedication

- The Dutch remember

Stanley Cup

Did you know that the Stanley Cup was the result of Arthur and Algy Stanley asking their father, Lord Stanley, for a trophy to award to the champions of the Amateur Hockey Association in Montreal? The silver cup only cost $48.67 and was first awarded in 1893.

The first “Stanley Cup” tournament was held in 1894. Lord Stanley never actually attended any of the Stanley Cup hockey games. 

Flotsam and Jetsam

Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.

Clay Buchholz is the only regular starting pitcher on the Red Sox with an ERA under 5.00 (and his is 4.58)... Explaining TV to a kid 20-years from now...  I read a headline that said "ISIS Could Buy Nuke" but my mind read it as "ISIS Could Buy Nike". I'm not sure which would be more impressive... This photo is real? I always just assumed it was some sort of photoshop... If I were to run a scam it would be as a pet fish medium. How could anyone prove you weren't actually communicating with a beloved dead goldfish?... Interesting - how far did Sam and Frodo walk?... Do you think there are any NBA GM's out there who would rather have Doc Rivers over Brad Stevens at this point? I mean besides the Clippers GM (who is also Doc Rivers)... Roger Goodell will have to answer this question in court... If you think about it most Popeye cartoons boil down to Brutus trying to rape Olive Oyl and Popeye trying to stop him... I always get a kick out of this animation...

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.

- The story of how the 2004 World Series of Poker was almost cancelled

- The bad decisions that led Russia into World War I

- Heh heh - they say never judge a book by its cover but sometimes...

- Tom Crean seems like a good man

- This video is like watching my childhood flash before my eyes

- 15 things you might not know about John Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men

Louis CK and SNL

Not sure if you've seen the Louis CK monologue on SNL this weekend. It is supposed to be edgy - so edgy that people are supposedly debating if Louis CK went too far this week.

I didn't think it was edgy at all. Then again - I too grew up in the 70's. And as a fan of SNL I remember Richard Pryor and Chevy Chase doing this skit on race. That was edgy (and in 1975).

And pedophiles? How about Buck Henry as Uncle Roy? If anything things have gotten much less edgy at SNL.

Flotsam and Jetsam

Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.

Modern Americans don't know the horror of either grisly ax murders or pay toilets. I'm not sure which was worse... Norm MacDonald's very sweet tribute to David Letterman... Not sure how I feel when some gives me a gift and says, "its a top shelf item" but then follows up with "at Family Dollar"... I agree 100%... The JAWS character Captain Quint's last name means "fifth" in Latin. In the movie he's the fifth person killed by the shark... This is just awful. I hope the people responsible spend the rest of their lives in jail... Is it me or throughout history have all ax murders been described as "grisly"? As if there might be some sort of "delightful" ax murder...

Linky Links

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

- I follow @SenileDonDraper and thought this was pretty funny.

- Game of Thrones theme song smooth jazz version - yes please.

- Heh heh

- Starting to get Deflategate fatigue but Dan Wetzel makes some excellent points

- Daredevil / Chumbawumba mashup - quite good

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.

Flotsam and Jetsam

Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.

The more I think about it the more I like the idea of Tom Brady suing the NFL Commissioner for $200 million for defamation and damages. At the very least it would allow Brady to avoid having to speak about "deflategate" as all he'd have to say is "I can't comment because of our legal suit against the league"...  At first I agreed with this thought. Then I remembered all the entertainment I've gotten from watching certain individuals struggle with the self-checkout lane... So not only are the Jets, Colts and Ravens at the forefront of faux outrage over "deflategate" they are also among 14 NFL teams who got paid to support the troops. What's worse - fake outrage or fake patriotism? Not listed among the 14 teams - the New England Patriots... Today's word for the day is "holoholo" which is Hawaiian for "to ramble for pleasure"... Definitely buying this as a gift for someone in my family...

Linky Links

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

- Beginning to think words "Wells Report" and "integrity" should never appear in same sentence.

- Tom Curran has one of best takes I've seen yet on DeflateGate. If the max punishment is really $25,000 then this really is a crock of shit.

- The hero of Garland

- Heh heh

- Joe Posnanski also has great perspective on DeflateGate

- A nice explanation on Tesla's Powerwall and what it really means for power generation

0, 11, 4 and 1

The four numbers in the post title (0, 11. 4 and 1) to me explain the crux of the so called "deflategate" kerfuffle and the Wells Report (and yes I freely admit I am a Patriots fanboy).

The number 0: That's the number of balls head referee Walt Anderson recorded the PSI of prior to the AFC Championship game. Without this recorded baseline all comparisons are basically worthless. This was a clear failure on the part of the NFL and their representative in Anderson if this issue is as important to the integrity of the game as they trying to make it out to be. The number 0 is also the number of times that any referee has taken a ball used by Tom Brady out of a game because it felt "off" or under-inflated. That's in Brady's NFL career! No referee has EVER questioned whether a ball being used by the Patriots while Brady was under center was not up to NFL standards in terms of proper inflation.

The numbers 11 and 4: The number 11 is the number of balls the referees checked belonging to the Patriots during halftime of the AFC Championship game. The number 4 is the number of balls the referees checked during the same halftime belonging to the Colts. The reason given for why not all the Colts balls were checked was because there wasn't enough time. So I guess either the issue wasn't important enough (take all the time you want on an instant replay though) or the NFL checked the balls they wanted (i.e. they were interested in "catching" the Patriots and not the Colts). Any scientific experiment has to have a proper control group and comparing 11 balls to another 11 balls used in the same game conditions would have provided such a comparison point. But I guess a fair comparison wasn't what the NFL was after.

The number 1: That's the number of balls used in the AFC Championship game that were actually tampered with. However, since that ball was tampered with by an NFL employee who was trying to sell game balls for his own personal benefit I guess that doesn't count. Seriously did anything about this make it into the Wells report? Or because it reflected badly on the NFL was it white-washed?

I would love to see Tom Brady sue the NFL and Roger Goodell for defamation over the damage Brady's reputation has suffered because of this. I know there are issues with such a suit but I think just for the discovery process and the potential to damage Roger Goodell's already shaky public image such a suit would be worth the cost to Brady. How great would it be for Brady to come out and say, "I have always valued my integrity and good name and to have that sullied by Roger Goodell, a man who has shown almost no integrity since he's taken over as Commissioner, is something I will not stand."

So let it be written - so let it be done.

Flotsam and Jetsam

Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.

If I was Dana White I'd have the UFC make a $100 million offer to Floyd Mayweather to fight Ronda Rousey in the octagon. I bet more people would pay to watch that than Saturday's fight. Of course Mayweather wouldn't take the deal but then the UFC could claim that Mayweather is afraid of women who fight back. It would be another nail in the coffin for boxing and great publicity for the UFC... Reconsidering The Wire amidst the violence in Baltimore... Who knew? The reason dealers at casinos clap their hands when leaving the table is to show the "eye in the sky" that they aren't taking any chips away from the table cupped in their hands... Heh heh - Don Pardo's old business card... The Mayan calendar was so exact it was only off one day every 6,000 years... I wonder if Cubs fans are starting to feel about Jon Lester the way some older Red Sox fans felt about Mike Torrez...

Linky Links

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

- This has to be the best story out of the NFL Draft - Seahawks sign former Green Beret to free-agent deal.

- This really cracks me up. I'm a simple man.

- Heh heh - missing is the sign that says "Now Hiring Losers"

- Heh heh - "If we don't learn from the mistakes of the future, we are doomed to repeat them the first time."

- I can't even imagine attempting this - Gaston Rebuffat mountain climbing in France, 1944

Top 5 - Thoughts on the Kentucky Derby

Here's 5 thoughts on yesterday's Kentucky Derby.

1. I hit the trifecta yesterday but for the second time in the past 5 years the amount I won wasn't enough to cover my bar tab for the day.

2. Bob Costas must really love doing the Kentucky Derby. Watch how happy he is when he's looking down to interview the jockeys.

3. The $2 trifecta paid just over $200. If any of top three horses other than American Pharaoh had won - the payout would have been at least double. I did a 5-horse tri-box with Carpe Diem, Danzig Moon, Dortmund, Firing Line, and American Pharaoh. It costs $120. I may do the same bet for the rest of the triple crown races.

4. How funny would it be if instead of elaborate hats - the ladies (and Johnny Weir) had to wear fake beards?

5. I want to own the suit Rob Gronkowski wore to the Kentucky Derby yesterday.

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 is being held in Chicago after being at the Radio City Music Hall in New York for years and years. 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?

Linky Links

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

- So what exactly are eye boogers (aka sleepy eyes)?

- Cool story - why I gave up a $95,000 job to move to an island to scoop ice cream. On my honeymoon I met a guy who quit his high-paying union job at a GM plant in Detroit to move to the Caribbean to work on dive boats. May have been the happiest man I've ever met in my life.

- 30 things you might not know about Cheers

- Interesting interview with the head writer on Inside Amy Schumer

- Heh heh - I think they meant "hors d'oeuvres"

Flotsam and Jetsam

Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.

Is there anything more useless or time wasting than NFL mock drafts?... Heh heh... William Shakespeare, perhaps the greatest writer of all-time, was married to a woman who could neither read nor write... An excellent point... Paul Pierce is going to make an awesome contributor to NBA Countdown when he retires...  Did Tom Brady travel back in time to play drums for the B52's?... Richard Nixon is the only sitting President to ever attend a running of the Kentucky Derby...

Origin of the Term "Stool Pidgeon"

The phrase “stool pigeon” comes from the fact that “marks” or victims of con men are called pigeons. In the old days – when operating rigged games such as Monte or Banco (which was so prevalent that the police started to have special squads to deal with them – squads that soon were known as “bunco” squads” because the Irish brogue of many cops confused reporters) – the con man would employ someone who would work for him and who the con man would allow to win. This person sitting on a stool would then help draw others into the game to be fleeced by the con man. When the pair were caught – the cops would press the “stool” “pigeon” to confess and promise a reduced sentence in exchange. Because the guy running the game made most of the money but the stool pigeon would get the same punishment – they often took the deal and provided evidence against the con man running the game. Soon – people forgot the origin of “stool pigeon” and just started to use it to mean anyone who would inform on their friends or associates.

Today's Feelgood Video

Leah Still scored the first touchdown of Temple's spring game yesterday.

Top 5 - Red Sox Thoughts

With the baseball season more than 10% done - here's my Top 5 thoughts on the Boston Red Sox so far.

1. Boston is in a three-way tie for first despite the fact that their team ERA is 24th in all of baseball (4.37). If the pitching staff had just an American League average ERA then they'd be in first place all by themselves (they currently have an ERA+ of 95).

2. Boston is in a three-way tie for first despite the fact that the team is hitting a dismal .234 (20th in all baseball). The team has an OPS+ of just 92 (100 is league average). Does anyone not believe this team's offense will heat up as the temperatures rise?

3. If the Red Sox are to retire the number 26 - I predict that it will be for Brock Holt and not Wade Boggs. The super utility man is leading the team in batting (.424), OBP (.441), OPS (1.017) and OPS+ (184) while having played 5 positions so far (SS, 2B, 3B, LF, and CF). Big fan favorite is Brock Holt.

4. Not only do I predict that the Boston offense will heat up - I predict the Red Sox will lead the AL in HR by the time the season is over.

5. The Red Sox Magic Number is now 145. Today is the running of the London Marathon. There is also the Grand Union Canal Race held in May which is a 145 mile ultra-marathon that also finishes in London. Here's a useful piece of advice when running either a marathon or ultra-marathon.

Linky Links

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

- Just a reminder that today is the perfect date

- Seven tips for picking your Kentucky Derby horse(s)

- We were promised flying cars!

- Heh heh - so true!

- A Nassau Coliseum retrospective

- The Hubble Telescope turned 25 yesterday. Here are 15 amazing images from those 25-years.

- A reminder that today is ANZAC Day (also a reminder that the song And the Band Played Waltzing Matilda is one of the most emotionally powerful songs ever written)

Picking at 32

With the NFL draft coming up - I thought I'd take a look at what sorts of players historically have been taken with the 32nd pick of the draft in order to get an idea of the quality of player that may be coming New England's way.

2014 - QB Teddy Bridgewater, Louisville (pretty good value for the Vikings)
2013 - SS Matt Elam, Florida (has started 26 of 32 regular season games for Baltimore)
2012 - RB David Wilson, Virginia Tech (more fumbles than touchdowns and just 504 yards rushing for Giants)
2011 - OL Derek Sherrod, Mississippi St. (has started just one game in 4 seasons for the Packers)
2010 - DB Patrick Robinson, Florida St. (basically a spare part nickel back for the Saints)
2009 - DT Evander Hood, Missouri (had just 9.5 sacks in 5 seasons with Steelers was with Jaguars last season)
2008 - DB Kenny Phillips, Miami (started 41 games in 5 seasons with Giants was a reserve for Saints in 2014)
2007 - WR Anthony Gonzalez, Ohio St. (drafted by Colts only played parts of 5 seasons - out of NFL since 2011)
2006 - DE Mathias Kiwanuka, Boston College (solid pick - has averaged over 4 sacks per year since being drafted by Giants)
2005 - OL Logan Mankins, Fresno St. (6-time Pro Bowler for Patriots)

Not a very encouraging collection of players for Patriots fans. Silver lining is that best pick of the bunch was pulled off by New England.

Rajon Rondo

As an optimistic Boston sports fan I used to view and argue that Rajon Rondo was a top 5 point guard in the NBA. So it saddens me to see how everything seems to be falling apart for him in Dallas.

It is so amusing that on Boston sports radio the very same guys who were arguing that Danny Ainge didn't get enough in trading Rondo to the Mavericks are now screeching that Ainge was lucky to get Jae Crowder, Brandon Wright plus a 2015 1st round pick and a 2016 2nd round pick. Heck it could even be argued now that Rondo for just Jae Crowder would have been win for the Celtics given how the 24-year old Crowder has fit in with Brad Stevens' team.

But what's next for Rondo? He's a 4-time All-Star who for his career has averaged 10.8 points and 8.3 assists. I'm also not feeling bad for a guy who has already made over $47 million in his NBA career but as a player who was integral to Boston winning the 2008 NBA Championship - I am still wishing him the very best.

That best probably no longer includes a "max" NBA contract. That best will now have to come from a diminishing number of teams as Rondo has burned bridges in 10% of the NBA's franchises. Boston won't have him back. Dallas is now a non-starter. And don't forget that Rondo said he'd never play for Miami (I'm sure Pat Riley hasn't forgotten that). But as they say - all it takes is one team.

I hope Rondo finds his "one" team. Godspeed Rajon.

Linky Links

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

- Where does the expression "hands down" come from? I love language tidbits like this.

- Interesting - Doomsday predictions from the first Earth Day

- Kurt Vonnegut's "Shapes of Stories" as an infographic poster

- Celtics Brad Stevens finishes fourth in NBA Coach of the Year voting. There is no way that Jason Kidd deserved to finish with more votes than Stevens. No way.

- NASA study pays $18,000 to lay in bed for 70-days

- Is this the first real break in the Isabella Stewart Gardner art heist?

Flotsam and Jetsam

Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.

I know the Celtics are going to lose to the Cavaliers in the first round but I think the experience Brad Stevens gets coaching in the NBA playoffs far exceeds the value of dropping down a few spots in the draft...   I'm rooting for Tim Tebow. I hope his throwing motion and confidence have been fixed (although hearing people describe his passes as looking like a guy throwing cans of paint is kind of funny)... Interesting look at Josh Whedon and his place in the Marvel Universe... MLB is just two more Tommy John surgeries to starting pitchers away from some team calling up Jamie Moyer to ask if he's been keeping in shape... Public Service Announcement - please do not taunt the dynamite monkey...

Linky Links

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

- 10 awful words and the people they're named for

- This article was written 10-years ago but it still explains why Bill Belichick and the Patriots are faulted at every chance by some in the local media.

- The greatest political button of all-time

- Heh Heh

- I want this t-shirt

- Cool - deep sea submersible has encounter with a sperm whale

Star Pats

Nice video from Julian Edelman. Although I think he's taking a risk calling Brady his "sister".

Albert Einstein

Albert Einstein died 60-years ago today. Here's an interesting look at why 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 Prize 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.

April 16th really should be a holiday in the New England states. The anniversary of Tom Brady being drafted by the Patriots and Bill Belichick's birthday. Easily could be a holiday...  If David Ortiz finished the season with 104 RBI - he will have passed Ernie Banks for 29th place on the All-Time RBI list... Climate science is a religion "belief is strong where evidence is weak"... Strange but true - Dan Uggla (who plays for the Nationals) is the highest paid player on the Braves payroll. Atlanta is paying Uggla $12.6 million not to play for them this season... Cool flying squirrel suit video... If David Ortiz finishes the season with 30 HR - he'll have 498 for his career. That would be good for 27th place on the All-Time list just ahead of Lou Gehrig and Fred McGriff... Donuts in space!!... Idea for smaller towns - vehicles that are half ambulance and half ice cream truck... Seven things you might not know about Calvin and Hobbes... Someone should republish the Encyclopedia Brown books but replace his sidekick Sally Kimball with Courtney Love... I'm hoping the Red Sox can trade some really good coupons for Cole Hamels... Vinnie Testeverde Private Eye would be a show I'd watch on TV... If I had a bar in Boston or Worcester this photo of Bob Cousy would definitely be hanging on the wall... You know fans at all the Colts road games will be holding up signs that say "GO FOR 9!"...

Mega Linky Links

Been a while since I posted - so here's a bunch of links that I found interesting or amusing and thought I'd share.

- Goodnight Westeros

- Stephen Hawking covers Monty Python's Galaxy Song

- What do you do if you find a baby bird out of the nest?

- Heh heh

- Well meaning fools are the worst sort of fools.

- Looking like the end of the road for Wes Welker

- 11 things you might not have known about Starry Night

- Heh heh

- One chart explains why Danny Ainge should be the NBA Executive of the Year

- Good for you Jason Boulais

The Church of How God Made Us

Wanted to jot down a couple of thoughts on the Religious Freedom law recently passed in Indiana. First off I think the whole controversy over the pizza place is just made up and silly. No pizza place is going to take an order for say 10 large pepperoni and then ask, "OK before I fill this order - who will be eating these pizzas? No gay people I hope." No they would take the order and then ask for a delivery address. End of transaction.

I do kind of keep hoping that a lunch counter in Indiana run by religious African-Americans decides not to serve gays just to see what kind of moral quagmire results in the main stream media. Imagine a lunch counter run by an old black couple with a prominent picture of  President Obama right next to a sign that said, "No Gays Allowed". I'm an awful person but I think that would be awesome.

To further illustrate how my mind works differently, have to heard about how the new law will allow for the creation of a Church of Cannabis? If a church can be created for people who like to smoke weed - then why not a church for people who like to be naked? The Church of How God Made Us. How great would it be for nudists to demand service from pizza parlors or lunch counters too? And if refused service they could claim discrimination. If arrested they could claim their religious freedoms are being infringed upon. Imagine the argument that according to the bible we are made in God's image but these local intolerant laws force believers to cover up that fact! Please God - make it happen!

Linky Links

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

- Interesting twist of fate.

- Remembering Mitch Hedberg 10-years after his death

- Heh heh

- Tom Brady - living the life.

- This is old but still makes me chuckle

- With Easter coming up - the Passive Aggression of the Christ (I've already come to terms with the fact that I'm going to hell)

The Importance of a Single Vote

On this date in 1867 the United States purchased Alaska from Russia for the price of $7 million which worked out to about $.02 per acre. This purchase was known at the time as Sewards Folly after Secretary of State William Seward who arranged the purchase. Seward was also in charge of trying to get the Senate to ratify the treaty authorizing the purchase. The treaty was ratified on April 9th but it passed by a single vote. 

Think of that. If one person changed their vote from yes to no - Alaska might not be part of the US today.

Obamacare and RoundUp

You may have seen the story of the Monsanto "lobbyist" who claims that the RoundUp chemical glyphosate is safe to drink but then refuses to drink it himself saying, "I'm not stupid."

The "lobbyist" has generated lots of derision on the Internet and rightly so. However, what I can't stop thinking about is how is this man any different from the Democrats in Congress who passed Obamacare and then demanded the President grant Congress a waiver from having to follow that same law they passed without ever having read? They couldn't bring themselves to drink the same cool-aid they were selling to the rest of the country. Like the "lobbyist" they were in effect saying "they aren't stupid."

Where's the derision? At least people can chose not to buy RoundUp but Obamacare is a mandate.

Linky Links

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

- I wonder what the teams were and what the stakes were per hole. What a foresome!

- Heh heh - soldiers playing Quiddich

- Interesting look at the periodic table (which I consider perhaps the greatest single scientific achievement in history)

- Well done Upper Deck - well done!

- An oral history of the vastly under-rated NewsRadio

- Very cool - an interactive journey to the center of the Earth

Slice of Life

Was driving with my son and happened to see the following bumper sticker:

Cristo Me Salvo

 Problem was I read it as this:

Cristo Me Starvo

I explained my mistake to my son and now we have a new thing to say whenever we are hungry.

Linky Links

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

- Interesting - Michael Jackson may have been the reason for the break-up of Guns and Roses

- Messed up - these two circles are perfectly round

- Holy crap - he does sound like Stevie Nicks

- 1,300-year old fortress in Siberia baffles archaeologists

- Honestly never thought of this before - masturbating birds (gonna file this one under "science")

- Cool Larry Bird / Kevin McHale story

Has Obama No Sense of Decency?

The news that Bowe Bergdahl is being treated as a deserter was reaffirming and infuriating at the same time.

To anyone paying attention - the truth of Bergdahl's leaving his post was obvious - he deserted. That military courts confirmed that belief was kind of a "well duh" moment. It was also reaffirming in that those of us who greatly respect the US military were heartened by the fact that the military was able resist what I am sure was substantial political pressure to "suck it up and salute" to the President's version of reality.

It is infuriating in that this picture is now perhaps the most shameful moment in White House history. It is also sadly symbolic of all that is wrong with Barack Obama's foreign policy and naivety (or malice if you want to be less charitable). This is way more shameful than anything Richard Nixon ever did. And maybe even more illegal.

Couple this with the disrespect the President showed NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg this week and you have to wonder what's next on Obama's middle finger to the military list? It is so bad that at this point would anyone be surprised by a Presidential pardon for American Taliban John Walker Lindh?

One can only hope that this latest episode may be the Joseph Welsh, "Have you no sense of decency, sir, at long last? Have you left no sense of decency?" moment in the Obama Presidency.

Linky Links

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

- How much shuffling does it take to randomize a deck of cards?

- Is he into you? Animal kingdom edition. "Try casually flirting with him by urinating close to where he's grazing."

- Weedkiller Roundup may cause non-Hodgkin Lymphoma

- PJ O'Rourke remembers friend John Hughes

- Interesting look at the financial success of Adam Carolla's pirate ship