Guilty



Guilty is a song from Gravity Kills which was featured in the movie se7en. Many people think the song was by Nine Inch Nails. They're wrong.

Red Sox Moves

The Red Sox made a trade with the Astros today sending Jed Lowrie and Kyle Weiland to Houson for Mark Melancon. I think this may be good move for both clubs.

I like Jed Lowrie but honestly he's not as good as Marco Scutaro, Kevin Youkilis or Dustin Pedroia. Not even close. Where and when would he play? And is he as good as super prospects Will Middlebrooks or Jose Iglesias? Again - not close. In short there was no future with the Red Sox barring a big injury and Lowrie suddenly learning how to hit right handed pitching (career .214 BA and .635 OPS in 529 AB). For the Astros - Lowrie can step in and be the starting shortstop and be a 20 HR guy at Minute Maid Park. If Lowrie was a bigger name player you would see the Red Sox PR machine gearing up to bad mouth him on his way out of town.

Kyle Weiland would have been an innings eater at Pawtucket this year for the Red Sox but for the Astros he can easily step in and be the 5th starter or even 4th starter. The Astros rotation is awful and they are actively trying to trade Wandy Rodriguez and Brett Myers. I could easily see Weiland giving them double the innings as a starter that they got from Mack Melancon last season. There's a value in that and you never know - Weiland could blossom into a very good NL starter.

Mark Melancon was the Astros closer last year but ask yourself - how valuable can any closer be to a 100-loss team? You could have Mo Rivera and what real good would it do you? So the Astros get a starting shortstop and a starting pitcher but they give up a young serviceable closer. In return the Red Sox get a guy who can close but who most likely will be a 7th or 8th inning guy and who is just 2 months older than Daniel Bard.

Yesterday the Red Sox signed veteran catcher Kelly Shoppach to a 1-year $1.35 million deal. A deal that basically signals the end to the Jason Varitek era in Boston. Stoppach has a career .909 OPS vs LHP including a .788 OPS last year. This foreshadows a platoon with Jarrod Saltalamacchia in 2012.

Flotsam and Jetsam

Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.

Today is Monkey Day. I kid you not. Happy Monkey Day... Study: 87 Percent Of Movies Would Be Better With Michael Keaton In Them. Two things - doesn't Michael Keaton have a huge forehead? Second - this Onion piece reminds me of my belief that you could immediately make all the Ben Affleck and all the Ben Stiller movies 100% better if you switched those two in the starring roles. Think about it... Craig James for Senate is an anagram for "A Magnesia for Rejects"... This math is truly incredible. The odds of Tebow's historic stretch of wins? 1 in 27 million... The 1951 version of A Christmas Carol with Alastair Sim is the best ever made. The 2nd best was the 1999 version with Patrick Stewart... I am disappointed to announce that today I too failed to discover the Higgs Boson. There will be no press release... If I had the room on one of my walls - I would want one of these. Fathead now selling the Tim Tebow "Tebowing" version

Linky Links

Stuff I found interesting and thought I'd share.

- The Church of the Latter Day Dude. I'm seriously thinking about getting ordained in this religion.

- Heh heh - Rick Perry - bad lip reading

- Awesome photo of Paris

- The 50 Best Beers. My first New Year's resolution will be to try each one of these beers.

- The Sloths are Coming. Sloth babies might be next Christmas's big toy.

- I agree - Bill Romanowski Remains A Terrifying Human Being

Thank You Very Much



I can't watch or hear that song without smiling. The 1970 version of Scrooge is not the best but this song always makes me happy - and isn't happiness what Christmas is all about? I also have to say that Albert Finney is a very under rated actor. Can you believe that's the same guy from Miller's Crossing?

Flotsam and Jetsam

Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.

I haven't seen anyone on ESPN or the NFL Network mention that the play before the interception that set Tom Brady off and created the heated discussion on the sideline came after Wes Welker dropped sure TD pass on the play before... The things the Internet makes you think about - even if you won $1 million in the lottery for every month for the rest of your life - you would never become a billionaire (unless of course you were a vampire and were immortal)... Celtics dancing guy... Kids should send their Christmas letters to Tim Tebow instead of Santa - they'd have a better chance of getting good gifts because Tim seems to be God's favorite right now... President William Henry Harrison drank hard cider from a gourd - a fact that sound funny when said out loud... 11 Visual Cliches You Never See in Real Life... Ryan Braun tested positive for PED's? I haven't been this disappointed since I learned Cash Cab was fixed

Last Night's GOP Debate

I enjoyed last night's GOP Debate but I keep thinking about the exchange between Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich regarding Newt calling the Palestinians an "invented people". Here's what I would have said if I were Romney:

I am sure Benjamin Netanyahu was thankful to you Newt because he had to spend so much time addressing your comments instead of working on his own agenda. Did he send you flowers to thank you for that unasked for favor? You say you are a historian and are only speaking the truth but you are running for President. Historians can say inflammatory "truths" in order to help with book sales but Presidents cannot. Let me give you an example that may explain to you the difference. Newt Gingrich is overweight. Medical science says that elderly, sedentary, overweight men are more likely to have a massive heart attack and die. That's the truth but calling you an old fat man isn't courteous or diplomatic. But by your logic you are not allowed to take offense because I was just telling you a truth.

I also don't see Mitt offering Rick Perry the $10,000 wager as hurting Romney as so many seem to be suggesting. The idea of "put up or shut up" is pretty universal across the country. Romney was willing to put his money where his mouth was and when push came to shove Rick Perry was not.

You Kill Me



You Kill Me is a 2007 dark comedy that has really gone under the radar. If you have a chance watch it.

Linky Links

Stuff I found interesting and thought I'd share.

- Thomas Macdonough is an American war hero who should be better remembered (but alas he's not)

- Things hard to say drunk

- The Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain - The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

- Dave Winfield in 1973, playing college basketball for Minnesota

- Louis CK Out-take

- Awesome - The 50 Greatest Internet Memes of 2011

- How can you not root for and respect Troy Calhoun of Air Force?

- Top 16 ways to get woman / wife according to Bible

Flotsam and Jetsam

Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.

Is it OK for a funeral home to display holiday lights? Even the plain white ones? Walked by one with the decorations lit last night and it just struck me as odd... Pleasing 15 women... When I die I would like my ashes spread over people protesting things I am in favor of. Hopefully in the rain so that my ashes get all stickey and mess up their hair and stuff... I still say AC/DC's Its a Long Way to the Top if You Want to Rock and Roll is the perfect rock song... What's stopping job creation? Too much regulation... Keep your friends close but your enemies closer. If Mars is the friend of Earth what does that make the moon? Fucking Moon... Has anyone seen Joe Theisman and Larry Bowa in the same room at the same time? Separated at birth... Heh heh - 25 Ugly Christmas Sweaters... Quote for the day: "Everyone is entitled to his own opinions, but not his own facts". Daniel Patrick Moynihan... I would not be surprised if Jason Varitek wound up with the Angels.... 2011 Taylor University Silent Night. I had never heard of this tradition before. It is perhaps the most awesome thing I've seen in quite some time.

Linky Links

Stuff I found interesting and thought I'd share.

- Tebow, Tebow, Tebow

- WTF Whistling

- Watch Aptera employees smash prototype electric cars as company goes under

- The dangers of pornography

- Will Ferrell Old Milwaukee ads - Ad Number 1 - Ad Number 2

- Here's a map of the new Big East in 2014

Flotsam and Jetsam

Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.

Nice analysis of some of Red Sox potential trade chips. Really surprised that Lars Anderson wasn't mentioned. He's completely blocked by Adrian Gonzalez... If I was in the US Senate I would attach approval for the Keystone oil pipeline to every since piece of legislation daring President Obama to veto everything. The country would win either way... Lindsey Vonn takes 1st place at the Alpine World Cup, then Tebows on medal stand... USA Networks has announced a new TV show. In the pilot an aging TV star is kicked off a flight in Miami and has to do good deeds to get his reputation back. Burn Notice II with Alec Baldwin... The Soviet Union Was Dissolved 20 Years Ago Today. Some very interesting facts in the link. The one that stood out for me was male life expectancy in 1980 USSR was 62 but today male life expectancy in Russian Federation is just 59. What's up with that?... Very sad day here in Worcester as another Worcester Fireman has given the last full measure of devotion a little over 12 years since the City lost 6 heroes.

Good News - Bad News for Irish Guys

Irish Accents Surpass French Accents As The World’s Sexiest, Supposedly

According to this map the Irish have the second smallest penis size in Europe (thank God for the Romanians).

There is a joke in here someplace regarding those two items but I'm afraid to bring it up because the response may be - the joke is in your pants!

Linky Links

Stuff I found interesting and thought I'd share.

- If Obama has lost liberal Hollywood - he's got no chance at re-election.

- I've long suspected that Siri was launched before it was ready just so Apple could have the release before Steve Jobs passed away. I don't blame them if that was the case.

- Banishing consciousness: the mystery of anaesthesia. Long article but interesting. In short - we don't know why anaesthesia actually works or how.

- 10 Worst Celebrity Business Ventures of All Time

- Slavery in the US ended on this date in 1865.

- For Dr. Who fans - 11 Functional Homemade TARDISes

- Really inappropriate holiday decorations

- Interesting - Jon Gruden and how MNF has replaced coaching for him. Like a junkie going from heroin to methadone.

Flotsam and Jetsam

Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.

I wonder if a Josh Beckett for Hanley Ramirez swap gets discussed at the Winter Meetings? Both players are signed through 2014 for about the exact same money. Hanley wants to stay at shortstop and the Marlins could use a front line starter like Beckett who is very well liked in South Beach. Beckett might want a change of scenery... 50 Unexplainable Black & White Photos - I posted these before but they are just too awesome not to link to again... 78 years ago today the 21st Amendment, ending Prohibition, was ratified. On a related note I had way too much to drink Saturday... The greatest trick Santa Claus ever pulled was convincing the world he didn't exist... Penn Jillette: An Atheist's Guide to the 2012 Election. Disagree with him about Romney but anything he does seems to be interesting... I would have picked about 100 other music acts before Madonna but I think people will be surprised at how well she does at the Super Bowl. She will not be awful like the Black Eyed Peas. She will be professional and probably flawless in her act... Tom Brady gets Victoria Secret super model. Aaron Rodgers gets discount double-check. Advantage Brady... The reason I prefer Mitt Romney over Newt Gingrich in a nutshell? Romney went into private business to become rich while Gingrich used Congress to become rich basically at the expense directly or indirectly of the American taxpayer... I wish Bobby Valentine all the luck in the world but it needs to be said that Terry Francona deserved better from the Red Sox.

Top 5 - Christmas Songs by Rock Stars

I'm already partly sick of Christmas music. Anyway - here are the top 5 Christmas songs by rocks stars in my estimation.

1. Father Christmas - The Kinks
2. Do They Know It's Christmas - Band Aid
3. Santa Claus is Coming to Town - Bruce Springsteen
4. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen - Bare Naked Ladies
5. Little Drummer Boy - Bing Crosby and David Bowie

Linky Links

Stuff I found interesting and thought I'd share.

- Jon Heyman is Leaving Sports Illustrated for CBS Sports. Don't always agree with his analysis but Heyman is a hard worker, good writer and excellent guy.

- Heh Heh

- Interesting George Will column on how Obamacare is harming small business

- 10 Ways Shakespeare Changed Everything

- Bruce Springsteen and Bob Seger Perform 'Old Time Rock & Roll' in NYC. Not for nothing but Springsteen seems to age like Clint Eastwood while Seger seems to be going the Winfred Brimley route.

- Awesome - Ugly Renaissance Babies

Haiku Horse Handicapping

I read this brief article about the "world's last handwritten newspaper" and it gave me an idea - OK more like it gave me a dream.

If I was a teacher or someone who had the summers off I would spend my summer in Saratoga Springs, NY. Each day I would review the next day's races and I would make my picks. Here's where the dream comes in - each day I would make my picks in Haiku format and would write them out by hand in as neat a calligraphy style as possible. I would then have copies made and would sell them each morning for say $1.50.

The draw would be not just the picks (which I hope would be good) but also the fact I could advertise the broadsheet as both the "only handwritten newspaper in America" and also the "only newspaper in America written in Haiku." People would buy them as novelty items. I could easily sell 100-200 copies a day.

If there is an average of 45 racing days at Saratoga per season then you'd be looking at an income of around $250 per day (when you also factor in advertising). That would be plenty to pay for room, board, betting and beer for the season with probably a few shekels left over to go into the savings account (plus whatever winnings at the track).

Saratoga Dream
Daily make picks in Haiku
Bet horses / have fun

Tim Tebow - Great Minds Think Alike

From the latest Michael Lombardi article:

One of the elements of Tim Tebow's game that goes unnoticed is that when he plays at home in the Mile High City, the altitude affects the opponents after spending three quarters chasing Tebow around. John Elway would wear out his opponents with his ability to move around, and Tebow does the same. They have different styles but the results are the same - defenses get tired.

Here's what I wrote 2 weeks ago:

Tebow's style of offense has to be wearing on the defense. I suggest that part of the reason Tebow can have that 4th quarter success is because he's worn the defense down during the first 3 quarters. It's harder to catch and tackle a fast big guy like Tebow if you are tired.

Maybe Michael Lombardi reads my blog?

Flotsam and Jetsam

Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.

Who knew? New York Jets owner Woody Johnson is Mitt Romney’s national finance co-chairman... I had this dream that James Bond and Indiana Jones starred in a movie called Cowboys and Aliens - that was just a bad dream - right?... Even without knowing German, see if you can tell what Der Spiegel thinks of the GOP field. The Dr. No label next to Ron Paul made me laugh... The Broncos were 1-4 with Kyle Orton who had 8 TDs but also 7 INT's as QB. I keep stressing that it was the INT's that did the Broncos in. Tim Tebow doesn't throw INT's... What's not to like about Bobby Valentine? He invented the Chicken Cesar wrap, speaks fluent Japanese, plays the accordion and owns a herd of American buffalo that he keeps in New Zealand.