Actually a good basic explanation.
Tuesday, December 04, 2018
Monday, December 03, 2018
Linky Links
Stuff I found interesting or amusing and thought I'd share.
- Heh Heh - vintage ads that would be banned today.
- The argument that GM closing three plants and cutting 14,000 jobs is actually a good thing.
- Heh Heh
- George HW Bush 1924-2018
- Many reasons to be thankful
- Wow just wow. Marine meets his newborn son for the first time.
- Good advice - take your MEDS (I have to try meditation)
- Heh Heh - vintage ads that would be banned today.
- The argument that GM closing three plants and cutting 14,000 jobs is actually a good thing.
- Heh Heh
- George HW Bush 1924-2018
- Many reasons to be thankful
- Wow just wow. Marine meets his newborn son for the first time.
- Good advice - take your MEDS (I have to try meditation)
Sunday, December 02, 2018
Where are My Back-up Singers?
On a more existential plane - isn't that the question we are all asking this time of year? Where ARE OUR background singers?
Linky Links
Stuff I found interesting or amusing and thought I'd share.
- The 7 basics to goal setting.
- Interesting - what if the Placebo Effect isn't a trick? Long read but worth it. Never knew about Ben Franklin's early role in this controversy.
- Heh Heh
- November 27th was an important anniversary in General Chuck Yeager's life. He shot down 4 enemy planes that day.
- Wrong on so many levels.
- Great life advice - life IS short
- The reasons you can't brings water bottles through airport security
- The 7 basics to goal setting.
- Interesting - what if the Placebo Effect isn't a trick? Long read but worth it. Never knew about Ben Franklin's early role in this controversy.
- Heh Heh
- November 27th was an important anniversary in General Chuck Yeager's life. He shot down 4 enemy planes that day.
- Wrong on so many levels.
- Great life advice - life IS short
- The reasons you can't brings water bottles through airport security
Saturday, December 01, 2018
George HW Bush
His passing comes just 8 months after the death of his beloved wife of 73 years Barbara Bush. The photo to the left is of George and Barbara on their wedding day.
As a simple example of how great a person George HW Bush was - five years ago he shaved his head in support of the son of a secret service agent battling cancer. It should be noted that George and Barbara lost their first daughter Robin to childhood leukemia.
Many of the articles you will read today will speak about 41 as a one term President. If those articles do not mention H. Ross Perot you can be sure that you are reading an article from an outlet that is biased or incompetent. Perot's entry into the 1992 election as a third-party candidate is what cost Bush re-election.
Perot won almost 19% of the popular vote that year (the most ever by a modern third-party candidate). So any eulogies that ignore that piece of history should make you think twice about ever trusting that media outlet again.
His feelings about Perot aside, Bush was gracious and classy in defeat as this note to Bill Clinton shows.
HBO has an excellent documentary on the life of George HW Bush named simply 41. The documentary is completely narrated by 41 and goes through every aspect of his life - from childhood to the Presidency. When Perot is mentioned you can hear that hatred still for the man who Bush blames for not having a second term as President. Perhaps the only person Bush had those feelings about.
George HW Bush and George W Bush, of course, were just the second father-son to hold the office of President. They joined John and John Quincy Adams in that rare accomplishment.
I think history will look very favorably on George HW Bush and on his Presidency.
One of my favorite what-ifs in history is the fact that before picking Dan Quayle as his Vice President, Bush briefly considered giving that slot to Clint Eastwood instead. That's 100% true. Can you imagine how history would have been different if that happened?
Rest in peace you great and honorable man. Barbara is waiting for you.
Ho Ho Ho
If I still sent out Christmas cards - this is the one I'd send out this year.
And yes - Die Hard is indeed a Christmas movie (and Dick in a Box also qualifies as a Christmas song).
Friday, November 30, 2018
Flotsam and Jetsam
Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.
As we enter the Christmas season a gentle reminder - if you play The Christmas Shoes on the jukebox I should be allowed to throw darts at you. No exceptions!... In America the government DOES NOT exist to make us equal but to treat us equally. Any government agency or policy that treats citizens unequally is un-American... Muscular Church would be a good name for a Christian rock band... Heh heh - awesome!... "Coming of Age" stories are a little too spot on if you just reverse the order of those three words... Also as a reminder as we enter the Christmas season - we don't say the word "Hark!" enough these days. Who wouldn't like hearing someone calling attention to something important by exclaiming "Hark!" Or maybe it's just me...
As we enter the Christmas season a gentle reminder - if you play The Christmas Shoes on the jukebox I should be allowed to throw darts at you. No exceptions!... In America the government DOES NOT exist to make us equal but to treat us equally. Any government agency or policy that treats citizens unequally is un-American... Muscular Church would be a good name for a Christian rock band... Heh heh - awesome!... "Coming of Age" stories are a little too spot on if you just reverse the order of those three words... Also as a reminder as we enter the Christmas season - we don't say the word "Hark!" enough these days. Who wouldn't like hearing someone calling attention to something important by exclaiming "Hark!" Or maybe it's just me...
Player Comparison
Here's a player comparison I've been thinking about.
Player A - 1988 G/ 1355 R/ 383 HR/ 1311 RBI/ .313 BA/ .400 OBP/ .965 OPS
Player B - 2439 G/ 1513 R/ 118 HR/ 1013 RBI/ .328 BA/ .415 OBP/ .858 OPS
Both players have impressive numbers - though Player B had 451 more games in which to compile stats. But here's the numbers I was really curious about:
Player A - .278 BA/ .370 OBP/ .495 SLG/ .865 OPS
Player B - .302 BA/ .387 .OBP/ .395 SLG/ .781 OPS
Those are the career road numbers for the two players. You can see a big drop off for both players but Player B basically becomes a slap singles player on the road.
Player A - .348 BA/ .431 OBP/ .637 SLG/ 1.068 OPS
Player B - .354 BA/ .443 OBP/ .491 SLG/ .934 OPS
Those are the home numbers for both players. It should be noted that Player A won an MVP and was a 7 time Gold Glove winner. At home his numbers were almost Ruthian but ironically it was largely his home numbers which played against him when it came time for Hall of Fame voting. Player A was Larry Walker who played the bulk of his career home games at Coors Field. Player B was Wade Boggs who I still say would not be a Hall of Fame player if A - he didn't stick around just to get his 3,000 hits (3,010) or B - didn't play the bulk of his career home games at Fenway Park.
And yes I have a serious dislike for Wade Boggs.
Player A - 1988 G/ 1355 R/ 383 HR/ 1311 RBI/ .313 BA/ .400 OBP/ .965 OPS
Player B - 2439 G/ 1513 R/ 118 HR/ 1013 RBI/ .328 BA/ .415 OBP/ .858 OPS
Both players have impressive numbers - though Player B had 451 more games in which to compile stats. But here's the numbers I was really curious about:
Player A - .278 BA/ .370 OBP/ .495 SLG/ .865 OPS
Player B - .302 BA/ .387 .OBP/ .395 SLG/ .781 OPS
Those are the career road numbers for the two players. You can see a big drop off for both players but Player B basically becomes a slap singles player on the road.
Player A - .348 BA/ .431 OBP/ .637 SLG/ 1.068 OPS
Player B - .354 BA/ .443 OBP/ .491 SLG/ .934 OPS
Those are the home numbers for both players. It should be noted that Player A won an MVP and was a 7 time Gold Glove winner. At home his numbers were almost Ruthian but ironically it was largely his home numbers which played against him when it came time for Hall of Fame voting. Player A was Larry Walker who played the bulk of his career home games at Coors Field. Player B was Wade Boggs who I still say would not be a Hall of Fame player if A - he didn't stick around just to get his 3,000 hits (3,010) or B - didn't play the bulk of his career home games at Fenway Park.
And yes I have a serious dislike for Wade Boggs.
Thursday, November 29, 2018
Rick Middleton
It is a well-deserved, overdue honor for Nifty. He finished his 12-year career with 448 goals and 988 points. Both marks are easily in the top 100 all-time in NHL history.
For the Bruins Middleton is 3rd in all-time goals and 6th in all-time assists which makes him 4th on Boston's all-time points leader board.
Thanks for the memories Nifty. You were one of my favorite players growing up.
Linky Links
Stuff I found interesting or amusing and thought I'd share.
- NASA's Lucy Mission scheduled to launch in October 2021 to explore the Jupiter Trojan steroids looks fascinating.
- Skydiving instructor who died in tandem jump took his own life police say. What a strange story. I have to wonder since it was a tandem jump if the person the instructor was jumping with was just so obnoxious that dropping to his death seemed like the best choice at the time? I know I'm an awful person for thinking that (but now you're wondering that too!)
- Looks like I won't be buying any headphones from Sennheiser. Not worth the security risk.
- Heh heh - dad photoshops daughter in dangerous situations to freak out relatives. I might be a bad dad because I might have done a couple of those in real life.
- Wow - NASCAR viewership has fallen off a cliff. Thanks Obama!
- Well I guess Peter Dinklage should be the next Fed Chair then
- NASA's Lucy Mission scheduled to launch in October 2021 to explore the Jupiter Trojan steroids looks fascinating.
- Skydiving instructor who died in tandem jump took his own life police say. What a strange story. I have to wonder since it was a tandem jump if the person the instructor was jumping with was just so obnoxious that dropping to his death seemed like the best choice at the time? I know I'm an awful person for thinking that (but now you're wondering that too!)
- Looks like I won't be buying any headphones from Sennheiser. Not worth the security risk.
- Heh heh - dad photoshops daughter in dangerous situations to freak out relatives. I might be a bad dad because I might have done a couple of those in real life.
- Wow - NASCAR viewership has fallen off a cliff. Thanks Obama!
- Well I guess Peter Dinklage should be the next Fed Chair then
Flotsam and Jetsam
Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.
If Justin Beiber made a Christmas album - I'd give it as a gift to people I hate... Murphy Brown reboot cancelled after historically low ratings. Who could have seen this coming?... Confession: I have never seen the movie A Christmas Story. Have no plans to see it this year either... "A hero is one who knows how to hang on one minute longer" - Novalis... Not sure if this was just a Massachusetts saying but when I was a kid "book it" meant to run away as in, "the cops are here - book it!" Because kids in Mass naturally run away from books maybe?... Heh Heh... Speaking of Massachusetts things - I think Hollywood should remake a bunch of John Wayne movies but with a Mike Dukakis look-alike in the lead. I would definitely pay to see The Quiet Dukakis or She Wore a Yellow Dukakis...
If Justin Beiber made a Christmas album - I'd give it as a gift to people I hate... Murphy Brown reboot cancelled after historically low ratings. Who could have seen this coming?... Confession: I have never seen the movie A Christmas Story. Have no plans to see it this year either... "A hero is one who knows how to hang on one minute longer" - Novalis... Not sure if this was just a Massachusetts saying but when I was a kid "book it" meant to run away as in, "the cops are here - book it!" Because kids in Mass naturally run away from books maybe?... Heh Heh... Speaking of Massachusetts things - I think Hollywood should remake a bunch of John Wayne movies but with a Mike Dukakis look-alike in the lead. I would definitely pay to see The Quiet Dukakis or She Wore a Yellow Dukakis...
Muggletonians
In 1651 two London tailors announced that they were the last prophets foretold in the Book of Revelation. And a new Protestant sect was born.
Even though it was John Reeve who believed he received the "word of God" - the movement was named after his cousin Lodowicke Muggleton (pictured left) who joined Reeve in spreading their new Gospel.
If the movement was named after John Reeve I guess his followers would have been known as "Reevers' and would have put my modern mind to thinking of the "Reavers" of the Firefly universe. Whereas Muggletonians really do put your mind to Harry Potter.
Not for nothing but the tenets of Muggletonianism seem pretty reasonable.
Wednesday, November 28, 2018
Flotsam and Jetsam
Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.
In an effort to help explain local customs let me start by saying a man blowing his nose into his napkin is the universal non-verbal signal to the waitress that he is done with dinner and that the waitress may now clear his plate in New England... OK this was funny... If I owned an NFL or MLB team with a losing record I would put myself on the roster as the the third punter or seventh outfielder because why not? I don't think there's an actual rule against it. I'd pay myself millions too!... But this was even funnier... One of the great put-downs of all-time was by Ernest Hemingway in A Moveable Feast where he described writer Wyndham Lewis as having "the eyes of an unsuccessful rapist"... I have to agree with James Woods here. People who consistently go after Melania Trump say more about themselves than about the First Lady... If I wrote for SNL I'd do a sketch about the Ginger Network which would be a regular TV network but on which all the actors had red hair. You could have Ginger DiNero and Ginger Pacino doing the coffee scene from Heat. You could have Ginger Jimmy Stewart doing a scene from It's a Wonderful Life. Comedians doing impressions of actors while wearing red wigs - simple but still funny (at least to me),,,
In an effort to help explain local customs let me start by saying a man blowing his nose into his napkin is the universal non-verbal signal to the waitress that he is done with dinner and that the waitress may now clear his plate in New England... OK this was funny... If I owned an NFL or MLB team with a losing record I would put myself on the roster as the the third punter or seventh outfielder because why not? I don't think there's an actual rule against it. I'd pay myself millions too!... But this was even funnier... One of the great put-downs of all-time was by Ernest Hemingway in A Moveable Feast where he described writer Wyndham Lewis as having "the eyes of an unsuccessful rapist"... I have to agree with James Woods here. People who consistently go after Melania Trump say more about themselves than about the First Lady... If I wrote for SNL I'd do a sketch about the Ginger Network which would be a regular TV network but on which all the actors had red hair. You could have Ginger DiNero and Ginger Pacino doing the coffee scene from Heat. You could have Ginger Jimmy Stewart doing a scene from It's a Wonderful Life. Comedians doing impressions of actors while wearing red wigs - simple but still funny (at least to me),,,
Tuesday, November 27, 2018
Linky Links
Stuff I found interesting or amusing and thought I'd share.
- Is that really the sound it makes? Awesome!
- All humans are descended from just two people. Scientists damn well better name those two Adam and Eve!
- Well this made me feel stupid. Jordan Peterson's list of his top 51 literature books. I've only read 14.
- Gross - half the DNA on the NYC subway matches no known organism
- Mitt Romney was right about the GM bailouts
- Very cool!
- Heh Heh
- Is that really the sound it makes? Awesome!
- All humans are descended from just two people. Scientists damn well better name those two Adam and Eve!
- Well this made me feel stupid. Jordan Peterson's list of his top 51 literature books. I've only read 14.
- Gross - half the DNA on the NYC subway matches no known organism
- Mitt Romney was right about the GM bailouts
- Very cool!
- Heh Heh
This Week in Musk World
Later in the week Elon tweeted out this list of every all-electric car available in the US. You wonder if he was honestly trying to be helpful or so cocky that he's actually saying "Here I'll save you some time - here's all the electric cars you can buy but Tesla is the best." I think it was probably a little bit of both.
And speaking of Tesla competitors, ex-GM Vice-Chair blasts Tesla, saying saying supporters "like members of religious cult." The Motley Fool points out that GM's latest moves might be part of imitation being the sincerest form of flattery. Maybe that guy is an "ex" GM Vice-Chair because he didn't join the cult?
Meanwhile Bloomberg asks Did Elon Musk forget about Buffalo? The article is referencing the so-called GigaFactory 2 solar panel facility which received $750 million in NY State aid (before Tesla bought Solar City). One line from the article confused me. "It's a complete hoo-ha," says John Kaehny, executive director of Reinvent Albany. Wait isn't this a complement? In my world hoo-ha's are beautiful, beautiful things.
Lastly the Wall Street Journal reports that Tesla is the hot spot for young job seekers. First you get the job, then you get the money, then you get the hoo-ha!
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